thesilkroadtoday
Medellín, Colombia | July 2026
The 36th Medellín International Poetry Festival, held from 4–11 July 2026 under the inspiring theme “Towards the Human Spring” (Hacia la Primavera Humana), continues to affirm its place as one of the world’s most significant celebrations of poetry, bringing together distinguished poets from every continent in a shared commitment to dialogue, peace, and cultural understanding.
Among the featured international voices is Margarita Al (Russia), whose month-long international poetry tour—from 14 June to 14 July—has taken her through São Paulo, Salvador, Rio de Janeiro, Bogotá, and now Medellín, where she has become one of the festival’s participating poets.
Reflecting on her experience during the festival, Margarita Al expressed the profound emotional impact of Medellín’s poetic atmosphere:
“In Medellín, the Word possesses such concentration, such spirituality, that it bursts into the soul like a living fire: it burns and warms hearts, restores language to its primordial freshness, expands every line into boundless space, and guides beauty toward goodness.”
Her words capture the unique spirit that has distinguished the Medellín International Poetry Festival for more than three decades—a festival where poetry is not merely performed but experienced as a transformative force capable of renewing both language and humanity.
As part of the festival’s literary program, Margarita Al participated in a poetry reading alongside Diana Carolina Daza (Colombia), Mirka Arriagada (Chile), and Stefano Strazzabosco (Italy). The reading took place at 5:00 p.m. at the José Luis Arroyave Library Park – El Ágora, San Javier, welcoming audiences free of charge and reinforcing the festival’s commitment to making poetry accessible to all.
The 2026 edition continues the festival’s long-standing mission of creating spaces where poets from different cultures and languages can engage in meaningful dialogue. Through public readings, discussions, workshops, and artistic encounters, participants explore literature as a catalyst for solidarity, compassion, and peaceful coexistence in a rapidly changing world.
Margarita Al’s reflections resonate deeply with the festival’s central vision. Her description of poetry as “living fire” echoes Medellín’s enduring belief that the spoken word possesses the power not only to inspire artistic excellence but also to heal wounds, restore hope, and reconnect people across cultural and geographical boundaries.
By gathering voices from around the globe under the banner of “Towards the Human Spring,” the 36th Medellín International Poetry Festival once again demonstrates that poetry remains one of humanity’s most enduring languages of understanding—capable of transforming individual experience into universal dialogue and reminding the world that beauty ultimately finds its highest purpose in the service of goodness.
