PICTURED IS  SIPHOKAZI JONAS AND STEVE BLOOM, CEO OF JAPAN INSTITUTE OF PORTLAND JAPANESE GARDEN

Tuesday, 12 December 2023 – In a significant coup for poetry on the African continent, Siphokazi Jonas accepted a commission from The Poetry Society and Portland Japanese Garden to write a poem for the event – Peace Symposium, Johannesburg 2023 – Peace-making at the Intersection of Culture Art and Nature, which was presented in the room on Monday 4th December 2023, following similar symposiums in New York, London, and Tokyo.

Four poetry readings took place during the event.

 The first was by Siphokazi Jonas, a poet commissioned by The Poetry Society and Portland Japanese Garden, to write a poem for the event, Inosculation or to be Bare at the Point of Connection.

  Siphokazi acknowledged, “It was an honour to contribute to a global dialogue on peace-making, especially in such challenging times. African artists are integral in holding space for conversations about the connections between art, culture, nature, and peace.”

 This follows previous commissions for the Symposiums by Yumi Fuzuki, Victoria Adukwei Bulley and Nomi Stone.

 Siphokazi is a multi-award-winning poet, playwright, actor, and producer based in Cape Town, South Africa. She holds an MA in English Literature and an undergraduate degree in Drama and English.

Reading alongside Siphokazi were the three winners of the Young Poets Network Challenge on Peace and Quiet from South Africa: Deity Ajna, who read Not Sonnet 23; Sonelise Jonginamba, who read Before the Noisy Morning; and Thato Tshukudu read Unwelcome Guest.

Judith Palmer, Director of The Poetry Society, remarked: “The Poetry Society is always looking for ways to bring people together through poetry. We’ve been thrilled to partner with the Portland Japanese Garden and extend its message of peace.

 “The project allows us to ask poets on every continent, including young poets, what peace means to them, bringing new and varied perspectives to light. It’s been a pleasure getting to know fantastic poets from Japan, the USA, South Africa, and from home in the UK who have explored the subject via such different approaches.

“In the year ahead, we’ll also look forward to working with poets from Australia and Brazil.”

For more information, please contact Martin Myers – at martmyers@gmail.com or 083 448 4475.