Naoussa Welcomes the World as Poetry Becomes a Language of Friendship and Peace

From September 4 to 6, the historic city of Naoussa in northern Greece will become a meeting place for poets, cultures and ideas from around the world, as the 5th International Poetry Festival of Naoussa, “Aristotle and the World,” brings together 22 poets representing 14 countries. Organized by the “Movement for Arts and Poetry” under the auspices of the Municipality of the Heroic City of Naoussa, the three-day festival places poetry at the centre of an international cultural exchange shaped by history, music, hospitality and the belief that literature can bring people closer together.

Poets from Greece, Cyprus, Albania, Germany, Switzerland, India, Italy, Morocco, Palestine, Poland, Romania, Russia, Sweden and the United States will participate in this year’s festival. Their presence reflects the event’s international character and its central commitment to cultural diplomacy. Rather than simply presenting poetry from different countries, the festival seeks to create a space where different cultural experiences can meet, communicate and coexist.

“The heart of poetry will beat in Naoussa,” says Greek poet Dimitris P. Kraniotis, President of the Festival’s International Scientific Committee. His words capture the spirit of an event that has grown into an international cultural gathering while remaining closely connected to the identity and traditions of the local community.

The festival will officially open on Friday, September 4, at the “Christos Lanaras” Hall of the ERIA complex. The landmark building, associated with Naoussa’s industrial golden age and textile heritage, will be transformed for the occasion into an atmospheric setting for international poetry. The evening will begin with a welcome reception featuring regional wines, liqueurs, local delicacies and artisanal chocolates, followed by the official opening ceremony and the first poetry readings. Musical interludes will be performed by the four-part mixed choir CANTUS AMNIS under the direction of maestro Marios Daskalakis.

Over the following two days, poetry will move beyond the traditional festival stage and into the cultural landscape of Naoussa and the surrounding region, ancient monuments as well as traditional buildings. On Saturday, participating poets will take part in guided tours and readings at the Tomtsi Family Traditional Costume Workshop, the town’s open-air gallery at the public market, the ERIA Industrial Heritage Center and the BIBON Wine Library. These encounters will connect contemporary poetry with the city’s traditions, craftsmanship, industrial history and wine culture.

The festival’s program also reflects the organizers’ desire to make literature accessible to both established audiences and aspiring writers. On Saturday afternoon, American poet Bob Whelan will lead a Haiku poetry masterclass in English. In the evening, the international poets will return to the “Christos Lanaras” Hall for a major gala of poetry and music, accompanied by “Τα Ρεμπετόπαιδα” (The Rebetiko Children), an ensemble bringing together local musicians and young students from Naoussa attending the Music School of Veria.

Sunday will take the festival into the ancient history of the region. Poets and participants will visit the Ancient Theater of Mieza, the Macedonian Tombs and the Nymphaeum at the School of Aristotle. At the Cultural Center of the School of Aristotle, a documentary presentation will explore the historical and philosophical legacy of Mieza before the program continues with poetry readings.

The connection to Aristotle gives the festival a particularly meaningful setting. More than two millennia after Aristotle taught at Mieza, the ancient landscape will once again become a place where ideas, language and intellectual exchange take center stage. Contemporary poets from different parts of the world will gather in a location historically associated with philosophy and learning, creating a dialogue between the region’s ancient heritage and the cultural voices of today.

The Sunday program will also include the festival’s Open Mic forum, which returns following its success last year. Emerging, debut and local poets will be given a free platform to present an original poem at the historic grounds of the School of Aristotle. The initiative ensures that the festival is not only an international showcase, but also an opportunity for new and local voices to participate in the wider literary conversation.

The international character of the festival has been supported from its inception by organizations including PEN Greece, CIESART Greece and the World Poets Society. Their continued involvement reflects the broader network of literary and cultural connections surrounding the event. The invitations extended to poets have been shaped by the idea of cultural diplomacy: using poetry and artistic exchange to promote friendship, understanding and peaceful coexistence.

This year’s participants include Greek poets Cassandra Alogoskoufi, Despina Kaitatzi-Choulioumi, Dimitris P. Kraniotis, Elias Fragakis, Georgia Makrogiorgou, Lina Vatantzi, Maria Mistrioti, Panos Panagiotidis and Viktoria Kaplani, as well as Giorgos Petoussis of Cyprus and Xanthi Hondrou-Hill, representing Greece and Germany. The international delegation includes Adrian Suciu and Nicoleta Craete of Romania, Alexander Selimov of the USA and Russia, Alicja Kuberska of Poland, Aziz Mountassir of Morocco, Bob Whelan of the United States, Braja Kumar Sarkar and Ranjita Sarkar of India, Concetta La Placa of Italy, Griselda Doka of Albania and Italy, and Mona Alassi of Palestine and Switzerland.

The festival is also deeply rooted in the hospitality of Naoussa. Local businesses and residents have actively supported the event, with shops offering regional delicacies, winemakers sharing their wines with visiting poets and pastry shops providing traditional local treats. The participation of the community gives the international gathering a distinctly local character and allows visitors to experience the region not simply as a backdrop, but as an essential part of the festival itself.

“The immense generosity of these private individuals is truly touching,” says founder and director of the festival Xanthi Hondrou-Hill. Her words reflect the relationship that has developed between the international guests and the people of Naoussa, whose hospitality has become an important part of the event’s identity.

The festival will conclude on Sunday evening with a grand closing ceremony at the “Christos Lanaras” Hall. Final poetry readings, musical performances, special presentations and certificates for the international participants will lead into the presentation of the annual “Aristotle” Poetry Awards. The evening will also highlight the enduring legacy of Aristotle, who taught Alexander the Great and, during his time at Mieza, undertook the important task of educating the young King of Makedonia and his future government in the art and principles of leadership and governance. The program will also feature a special performance by Alexander Selimov, the poet and singer-songwriter from the USA/Russia, who will perform his original lyrical compositions while accompanying himself on acoustic guitar.

For audiences in Naoussa and visitors arriving from elsewhere, the festival offers the opportunity to encounter poets from across the world in both Greek and English, with admission free to the public throughout the three days. But its significance extends beyond the individual readings and performances. By bringing together people whose languages, histories and cultural experiences may be very different, the festival demonstrates how poetry can create a shared space where differences become an invitation to listen rather than a barrier to understanding.