Ibrahim Honjo organized many poetry events and festivals in his homeland of the former Yugoslavia, yet for his first 11 years in Canada he didn't have contacts with poets, writers or artists. In 2006 he connected with the World Poetry Reading series in Vancouver. In 2007 he connected with the group Poetry Around the World of West Vancouver, then Shorline Writers in Port Moody, and on September 22, 2007 he started Poetry Planet in the Timeless Bookstore in Port Coquitlam. On October 20, 2007 Honjo's Poetry Planet moved to the Port Moody Public Library too.
The first poetry reading in English for Honjo happened on June 25, 2007 at the Vancouver Public Library. After that he read at the Vancouver Public Library several times.
In the last two years he read at the Vancouver Public Library, Indigo Bookstore in West Vancouver, at the Summer Dream Literary Arts Festival in Stanley Park, at the Car Free Festival Vancouver, at the Port Coquitlam Art Gallery and Timeless Bookstore, at the Port Moody Public Library, at a Port Moody City Council Meeting, and at Africa Days. He has now read in Burnaby, New Westminister, North Vancouver, Vancouver West (Kerrisdale) and Salt Lake Island, etc.
Honjo organized and hosted a few poetry nights for fellow immigrants from the former Yugoslavia in the Burnaby, where he read in the Serbo-Croatian language.
On September 14 and 15, 2007 Honjo participated in the Reckoning 07 conference.
POETRY PLANET READING EVERY 3RD Monday, at the Port Moody Public Library! 7:00 pm
WORLD POETRY READING SERIES EVERY 4TH MONDAY, AT VANCOUVER PUBLIC LIBRARY! 7:30 PM
POETRY AROUND WORLD READING EVERY 3RD THURSDAY, AT CHAPTERS METROTOWN BURNABY! 7:00 PM
SHORLINE WRITERS PORT MOODY MEETING EVERY 3RD SUNDAY AT PORT MOODY ART GALERY! 1:00 PM
Poetry Planet is a group of poets, writers, readers and listeners who promote values through and spoken word. It is a multilingual and multicultural venue that is held on the third Monday of each month in Public Library Port Moody at 7:00 PM. On November 17, 2008 Poetry Planet will celebrate 1st Birthday.
Please feel free to come and read your work or work of your favorite poet or writer. Here you will find your peace and friends, you will find many published authors and oportunities to speak about writing, editing, publishing, marketing and another theme about writing and publishing industry.
FEAUTURED AUTHORS ON NOVEMBER 17, 2008
ARIADNE SAWYER, JACQUELINE MAIRE, ALEJANDRO RAUL MUJICA - OLEA, LUCIA GOREA and ADENA SUMTER-FREITAG'S
ARIADNE SAWYER, M.A.C.P.,Creative Consultant specializes in creativity and performance training. She has worked with many writers and performers, some just starting out and others well known, from Canada, the US and Europe. Ariadne specializas in brain research and creativity, using a wide range of tools and techniques.
Ariadne is the co-founder and host of The World Poetry Reading Series, Radio Show, The World Poetry Electronic Newsletter and World Poet's Night Out ( a venue that gives multicultural women co-hosts experience in hosting) World Poetry consists of over 400 poets, writers and musicians originally from 63 countries include a strong Canadian component. She is the host and producer of Creativity Rocks every Tuesday at 9:10 PM on CFRO 1o2.7 FM. She is author of The Best of Creativity Rocks! Answer to your Creative Questions.
JACQUELINE MAIRE, was born in France, a retired nurse who was a "Closet poet" for many years coming out with World Poetry. She is a fireless volunter for World Poetry. Jacqueline writes powerful poems in French and English on human rights, dignity and policy. She will be feautures at the Vancouver Public Library, World Poetry Reading Series on December 15th,2008.
ALEJANDRO RAUL MUJICA-OLEA, was born in Santiago, Chile, 1947. He was political refugee who came to Canada in 1975 and become a Canadian citizen in Alberta in 1980. He published several books. His book "Pearls of the Soul of a Political Prisoner" was published in English and Spanish language.
Alejandro is the Recipient of the Poet of the Year (2003 silver Medallion), an award in honor of Gonzalo Canton Santelices, presented by The Soutern Cultural Project Vancouver.
LUCIA GOREA,PH.D. - (Transylvania-Romania) is an award-winning poet, a published writer and the founder of "Poetry Around the World. "Her work appears in numerous anthologies and literary magazines in Canada, the U.S. and Europe. She is the proud "World Poetry Ambassador" and author of five books, invluding Journey Through My soul, Speak English for Success and ESL Games and Classroom Activities. She is teaching English at UBC.
ADENA SUMTER-FREITAG is a seventh-generation Black Canadian with roots in Turo, Nova Scotia and columbia, South Carolina. She grow up in Winnipeg's North End, has lived in the Canadian north, and now makes her home in Vancouver. She won Theatre Award at the Montreal Fringe for her autobiographical play "Stay Black&Die." This is her first book.