Zimbabwe, Africa and the international community
Por: Mbizo Chirasha
The role of Poetry in Our Times
My name is Mbizo Chirasha, an international, multi-award-winning Zimbabwean poet, literary arts activist, writer, anthologist and free -speech expert. I have been doing literary activism, spoken word performance, poetry, writing, literary arts curatorship, visiting writer /poet programs for the past 25 years
Poetry has a greatest if not immense role in shaping our social cohesion, economic dispensation and political discourses. Poetry is spiritual and it is a cultural heritage, it promotes dialogue among cultures, peoples, nations and regions.
It is the genesis of literature, literature, cultural diplomacy, book culture and hope of the masses in any given space, country or region.
I have written and performed poetry for almost 70 percent of organizations, spaces and arts centers in Zimbabwe, Africa and abroad. Writing, Reading and Staging poetry has awarded me international exposure, transformed my social and political perceptions. It has cultivated me internally, externally and as well as mentally,
It is soul food, When the sun rises, we experiment with words and ideas with the honest dream of transforming self, communities and nations.
In these times of global political turmoil and uncertainty, poetry speaks loudly to perpetrators of war, injustice, autocracy and dictatorship. Poetry speaks truth to power. Poetry as I say speaks truth to power, it is metaphor, hyperbole, irony and juxtaposition. Poetry is people, is history, is politics, is literature, is both freedom and protest.
I was born in a family of griots -imbongi, my father was a traditionalist, a story teller, a book lover, a historian and a griot of our land. He carried the hope and the clay of the land of my ancestors. He grew my interest in poetry, cultivated and nurtured the beauty of my words in every instance. He was my first novel, poetry anthology or story to read from. Through the talents of my father, I began writing narratives, stories and poetry of my people. I never went to university for literature, writing, poetry, creativity and art, I was home bound trained, As I speak, I contribute to the Zimbabwean, African and the global literary space.
I use poetry to save my community, my country, my continent and the world. I sing words of resistance, freedom and hope the people,
I would like to greatly thank the organizers of the Medellin International Poetry Festival 2026 for appointing me to represent Africa in this 2026 Edition of the festival. Kudos to the great founder and director Fernando Rendon.
Mbizo Chirasha was born in Zimbabwe in 1978. He is a poet, essayist, performer, creator and founder of various artistic and cultural projects, and an editor. He is a peace and human rights activist, with a particular focus on defending the rights of girls. His writings have been featured on more than 500 platforms worldwide.
He has worked as a poet-in-residence, belongs to various cultural networks, and has participated in global conferences, literary arts exchanges, and local events in Ghana, Egypt, Tanzania, South Africa, Mozambique, Namibia, Zambia, Malawi, and Sweden. He is the national coordinator of the 100,000 Poets for Global Change movement and of the Grito de Mujer International Poetry Festival.
