The Power of Poetry

Explore the active force of poetry during this public program at Wereldmuseum Rotterdam. In a time when free expression is under pressure worldwide, from Iran to Palestine, we investigate the connecting and healing power of the word. Create, listen, and heal together: from calligraphy, pen-and-ink, and bookbinding workshops to a writing workshop, the poetry book club, and poetry tours through the exhibition Poetry of the People. Meet “living poetry books” in the Human Library. Listen to inspiring talks about the love for Arabic poetry, and enjoy musical performances where words and music intertwine.
A day full of stories, creativity, and collective healing.

Featuring: Kriticos Mwansa, Kader Abdolah, Nafiss Nia, Ashgar Seyed-Gohrab, Beri Shalmashi, Naeeda Aurangzeb, Tawab Safi, Sabrina Schoop, ghenwa (noiré) abou fayad, Kimia Taghavy, Selin Oztekin, Soraya Shawki, Poetry Circle 010, Jawa Manla, Rima Baransi, Sandra Pham, Verhalenhuis Belvédère, Motel Poëzie, Oumaima Yahiaoui, Benzokarim, Parisa Akbarzadeh Poladi, Damaris, Indra Diallo, Winterdagen, Dean Bowen, and Moze Naél.

Both alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks will be available in the museum café and the ballroom. Visit Ebla Cuisine for a selection of sweet and savory bites inspired by the fragrances and flavors of Syrian cuisine. On the 1st Floor In the Verhalenhuis you can engage in reflection, exchange, performances, and food.

A guided session introducing books by poets featured in the exhibition Poetry of the People. We will discuss Shahnameh by Ferdowsi and The Gift by Hafez, among others. You do not need to have read the books beforehand. Includes a poetry performance by Sandra Pham, a versatile artist and spoken word performer whose work explores the boundaries between language, music, and personal history.

• Language: English
• 12:00 – 14:00
• Ground Floor – Green Room: Poetry Book Club

with Professor Asghar Seyed-Gohrab. Poetry has played a central role in Persian culture for over a millennium. Professor Seyed-Gohrab shows how poetry and visual art are used to critique and even resist the ideology of the Islamic Republic.

• 30 min talk + 15 min Q&A
• 11:00 – 11:45
• 1st Floor – Ballroom: Verhalenhuis & Performances

With poet and filmmaker Nafiss Nia. Nia explains how her short film Roya Was Here emerged at the intersection of poetry, womanhood, and resistance. She explores how women create inner space through imagination and rhythm, connecting image, body, and language as sources of freedom.

• Short film Roya was Here + intro and discussion 
• 12.00 - 12.45 uur
• 1st Floor – Ballroom: Verhalenhuis & Performances

Shalmashi describes how, for the Kurdish people, poetry is not only an art form but a resilient mode of survival and transmission.

• 13.00 - 13.45 uur
• 1st Floor – Ballroom: Verhalenhuis & Performances

Abdolah takes you on a poetic journey through Iranian history, highlighting moments of sorrow and showing how poetry serves as an unwavering source of comfort.

• 30 min talk + Q&A met publiek
• 14.00 - 14.45
• 1st Floor – Ballroom: Verhalenhuis & Performances

A musical journey where words and the sounds of the oud dance together.

• 15.00 - 15.30 uur 
• 1st Floor – Ballroom: Verhalenhuis & Performances

A jam session with multidisciplinary artists blending word and music.

• 15.30 - 16.30 uur 
• 1st Floor – Ballroom: Verhalenhuis & Performances

A musical reflection on the day with various instruments and a dance performance by Rima Baransi.

• 16.30 - 17.00 uur 
• 1st Floor – Ballroom: Verhalenhuis & Performances

Calligraphy is more than the art of beautiful writing—it makes words tangible and powerful. Join and create your own expressive piece.

• Drop-in
• ages 10+
• 11.00 - 17.00 uur 
• 1st Floor – Salon: Workshops

A walk-in writing workshop where you learn to write poems to comfort, inspire, or ignite. Bind your poems into a handmade book in the exhibition hall.

•  NL / ENG
•  ages8+  
• 11.00 - 13.00 uur
  13.30 - 15.30 uur 
• 1st floor- Art She Crafted

A poetic journey through the exhibition exploring the transformative power of poetry.

• Max 15 people
• 12.00 uur
  14.00 uur 
• 2nd Floor – Poetry of the People

Collect your favorite poems in the exhibition and bind them into your own booklet.

• Drop-in
• Ages 6 +
• 11.00 - 17.00 uur 
• 2nd Floor – Poetry of the People

Meet “living poetry books” in an intimate 20-minute setting, discovering the personal stories and work of Oumaima Yahiaoui, Benzokarim, and Parisa Akbarzadeh Poladi. Prejudices are challenged, and unheard stories and new perspectives emerge.

• Max 3 people per poet, per 20 minutes.
• 11.00 - 15.00 uur 
• 2nd Floor – A Time For Everything

A workshop/lecture using only three poetic tools: pen, paper, and ink. Make your own reed pen and learn how these elements come together.

• Engelstalig
• 11.00 - 17.00 uur  
• 3e verdieping - Atelier

Final drinks and another opportunity to visit the exhibition Poetry of the People. Playlist curated by Motel Poëzie.

• 17.00 - 18.00 uur 
• 1st Floor – Ballroom: Verhalenhuis & Performances