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55th Poetry International Festival Rotterdam

55th Poetry International Festival Rotterdam

55th Poetry International Festival Rotterdam / 12-15 June

The Poetry Summit: Laureates & Legends

From 12 to 15 June 2025, be inspired by Poet Laureates from all over the world! Poetry International presents the very first Poetry Summit, curated in collaboration with Poet of the Netherlands Babs Gons. This anniversary edition of the festival brings together a line-up of only the most acclaimed voices, awarded with the highest (inter)national distinctions. 

As representatives of their country, they will take part in lectures, discussions, workshops, interviews, debates and performances. So be there during this special anniversary edition, where the most influential voices will unite for once to celebrate the 55th anniversary of Poetry International Festival.

During the festival, the Declaration of future poetry generations will also be written and presented: a document on the importance of poetry, intended to secure its future for next generations.

Let's elevate poetry to a universal language in June! 

New readings, performances, and workshops are added here every week!

Highlights

Program

Transforming Wounds – A Masterclass by Warsan Shire

June 13 .
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June 13 / Reading

Main reading - Chris Tse

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June 13 / Talk

In conversation with Dutch Poet Laureates: on the role and the reverence

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June 13 / Reading & Talk

A Dragon in the Halls of Diplomacy

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June 13

The State of Poetry – Keynote by Babs Gons

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June 13 / Interview

In conversation with Kwame Dawes

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June 13 / Special

Bombing of Poems: Epilogue

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June 13

Poetry Press Conference

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June 13 / Reading

Main reading - Momtaza Mehri

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June 13 / Talk

The International Poetry Summit: Making Resolutions

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June 13 / Reading & Talk

Reading and interview - Ramsey Nasr

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June 13 / Reading

Main reading - Astrid H. Roemer

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June 13, 14, 15

Meet the foyer

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June 13 / Reading

Main reading - Alysia Nicole Harris

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June 13 / Special

Poetry International x Codarts: Poetic Compositions

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June 13

Local Voices

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June 13

The Last Poem

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June 13, 14, 15

Poetry International x Willem de Kooning: Poster Exhibit

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June 13 / Workshop

Workshop writing poetry - through the photographic lens

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June 13

Transforming Wounds – A Masterclass by Warsan Shire

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June 14 / Special

Arise, Socialists!

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June 14 / Reading

Main reading - Kwame Dawes

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June 14

Poetry Press Conference

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June 14 / Interview

Guiding Voices x Poetry International: Chris Tse

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June 14 / Reading

Main reading - Maricela Guerrero

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June 14 / Reading

Main reading - Nadia Mifsud

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June 14 / Reading

Main reading - Lyuba Yakimchuk

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June 14 / Reading

Main reading - Diana Anphimiadi

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June 14 / Reading

Main reading - Ilja Leonard Pfeijffer

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June 14 / Reading

Main reading - Esther Phillips

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June 14 / Reading

Poetry International x Skrifi present: Eline Marengo & Koloku

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June 14 / Special

The Wholesome Poetry Battle

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June 14

The Poetry Debate

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June 14 / Reading & Talk

Reading and interview - Warsan Shire

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June 14

Sustainable Poetry Development

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June 14 / Reading

Main reading - Tom Lanoye

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June 14

Frontaal Open Mic: Heldenstemmen

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June 14 / Reading

Mooi zijn alleen de wolken – Gedichten uit Kamp Ravensbrück

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June 14 / Talk

Living between languages - Suriname: 50 years of independence

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June 14

The Last Poem

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June 14 / Special

Poetry International x Codarts: Poetic Compositions

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June 14 / Special

Unwanted Words Presents: Ballroom is a poem

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June 14 / Talk

A New Sound

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June 14 / Special

Buddingh’ Talent

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June 14

Masterclass Tom Lanoye – ReinAard reimagined

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June 14 / Talk

Writing in Times of Oppression

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June 14

Spoken word live essay: more than 10 minutes

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June 14

End presentation Poetry Circle 010

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June 14 / Workshop

Workshop – Make your own poetry book in only one hour!

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June 14 / Workshop

BATTLE POETRY – workshop & performance

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June 15 / Deaf / Hard of Hearing

Main performance - Dana Cermane

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June 15 / Reading

Main reading - Jean D‘Amérique

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June 15 / Deaf / Hard of Hearing

Main Performance - Ian Sanborn

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June 15 / Reading & Talk

Erik Jan Harmens in conversation with Akwasi

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June 15 / Reading

Main reading - Patricia Jabbeh Wesley

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June 15 / Reading

Main reading - Luljeta Lleshanaku

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June 15 / Film

Film: Manual for the displaced

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June 15 / Reading

Main reading - Simon Armitage

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June 15 / Reading

Main reading - Derek Otte

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June 15 / Reading

Main reading - Joke van Leeuwen

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June 15 / Special

What poetry preserves – Indonesia: 80 years of independence

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June 15 / Special

Translating together: a live experiment

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June 15 / Special

Poetry International x Codarts: Poetic Compositions

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June 15

Showcase: Spraakuhloos Onbeperkt

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June 15

Final Declaration & The Last Poem

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June 15

Finale: Doe Maar Dicht Maar

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June 15

Poetry Press Conference

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June 15

Award Ceremony – Johan Polak Poetry Prize

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June 15 / Workshop

Workshop - Diving Deeper into Sign Language Poetry

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June 15 / Kids

The Junior Poetry Summit (7+): Poems with a golden touch

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June 15 / Workshop

Poëzie lezen – Close reading: Esther Jansma

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June 15 / Workshop

Workshop – Storytelling in Poetry

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June 15 / Deaf / Hard of Hearing

Poetry in sign language

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Workshops

Visitor information

Visit the festival

Upon arrival at LantarenVenster, you will receive a wristband that gives access to halls 1, 5, and 6 of LantarenVenster upon presentation of your festival ticket at the festival desk.

All programs and rooms are free to walk in and out, but full = full applies. So be on time for a program starts to secure a place.

Prices, discounts and service costs 

Day tickets
Friday/Sunday: € 27,50
Saturday: € 35

Passe-partouts
€ 77,50 (Friday to Sunday)

Opening program
€ 22,50 (Thursday, not accessible with a passe-partout)

Workshops
€ 27,50 (per workshop)

All ticket prices include service fees. There are discounts for holders of RotterdamPas and students.

Purchased tickets cannot be cancelled or exchanged. If you wish to re-sell your ticket, we recommend using Ticketswap.

Ticket sales 

Workshop tickets, day tickets and passe-partouts for the festival on 13, 14 and 15 June 2025 can be only be purchased online. After your order, you will receive e-ticket(s) in your mailbox.

With a day ticket/passe-partout, you visit all festival programs in LantarenVenster. The programming in the foyer of LantarenVenster is freely accessible and can also be visited without a festival ticket.

For questions about tickets, ticket sales and festival programming, please contact: info@poetry.nl

 

Accessibility

LantarenVenster
Otto Reuchlinweg 996
3072 MD Rotterdam
Wilhelminapier

Verhalenhuis Belvédère
Rechthuislaan 1
3072 LB Rotterdam

Theater Zuidplein
Gooilandsingel 95
3083 DP Rotterdam

All locations are easily accessible by public transport, car, bicycle, water taxi and on foot. Paid parking is possible on parking lots and garages nearby.

For more information on accessibility, click here.

Sponsors
Gemeente Rotterdam
Nederlands Letterenfonds
V Fonds
Fonds21
VSB fonds
Maatschappij tot Nut van ’t Algemeen
Volkskracht
Literatuur Vlaanderen
DigitAll
Ambassade van het Koninkrijk der Nederlanden in Suriname
Erasmusstichting
Stichting Van Beuningen Peterich-fonds
Prins Bernhard cultuurfonds
Lira fonds
Versopolis
J.E. Jurriaanse
Gefinancierd door de Europese Unie
Elise Mathilde Fonds
Stichting Verzameling van Wijngaarden-Boot
Veerhuis
VDM
College Fine and applied arts - University Illinois
Rotterdam festivals