Unveiling poetry line Ilya Kaminsky

Every Rotterdammer knows them: the lines of poetry on the sides of the sweepers and garbage trucks of the Maas City. On Saturday, June 11, a line of poetry by the Ukrainian poet Ilya Kaminsky will be added to the fleet of Stadsbeheer Rotterdam. At 13:30 the poet himself will reveal the line of poetry. For the first time in the history of 'Het gedicht is een bericht' (The poem is a message) a line of poetry will be placed on the garbage truck in both Dutch and English. In this way 'Het gedicht is een bericht' will also appeal to non-Dutch speaking Rotterdammers and guests in the city. You are welcome to attend the unveiling, Saturday 11 June, 13:30 at the waterfront of the Rijnhaven near festival location LantarenVenster. 

For over thirty years, the City Council wagons have not only been collecting garbage or sweeping the Binnenrotte after the market, they have also been bringing the most beautiful poetry into the homes of Rotterdammers. The lines of poetry on the wagons of Stadsbeheer are derived from the poetry of poets who perform annually at the Poetry International Festival Rotterdam. 'The poem is a message' as the collaboration between the municipality and Poetry International is called, has existed since 1988 (so 35 years in 2023). The collaboration takes its name from the poem of the same name by Rotterdam poet Jules Deelder, who died in 2019; in 1988 it was the first line of poetry to travel through the city on a garbage truck.

Poet Ilya Kaminsky will personally reveal the line of poetry. He is one of the many poets performing at the 52nd Poetry International Festival at LantarenVenster in Rotterdam from 10 to 12 June. His readings and interviews are part of a series of festival programs - also on Saturday, June 11 - which, with the use of sign language interpreters and performers, will be accessible to visitors who, like the poet, are hearing impaired or completely deaf (more info).