World Poetry Day marked with tribute to Nobelist Elytis

World Poetry Day on Monday will be marked with a tribute to Greece's Nobel Literature Prize Laureate Odysseas Elytis (1979), as 2011 has been declared 'Elytis Year' by the Greek Ministry of Culture and Tourism.

March 21 was declared World Poetry Day by UNESCO (the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation) in 1999 for the purpose of promoting the reading, writing, publishing and teaching of poetry throughout the world, and to "give fresh recognition and impetus to national, regional and international poetry movements".

Poetry nights with readings of works by Elytis are being organised on Monday by the National Center for Books (EKEBI) in collaboration with the Society of Writers, at several bookshops in Athens and Thessaloniki.

The Megaron-Athens Concert Hall will mark the day with readings of ancient Greek poetry dedicated to love by Sappho, Archilochos, Meleagros, Krinagoras and others, and a concert of love poetry set to music by celebrated Greek composers such as Manos Hatzidakis, Yannis Spanos, Eleni Karaindrou and others.

Also, the Hellenic American Union (HAU) in Athens is organising an open discussion on Homer's works on Monday evening.