Poetry festival as cultural resistance

The Guardian explores the International Poetry Festival of Medellín in Colombia:

The festival is now the largest of its kind in the world. Over eight days, free poetry recitals are held in public parks, university theatres, high-security prisons, and schools and libraries in poor, marginalised suburbs. To date, Medellín has hosted 820 poets from 142 countries, and many indigenous nations.

"I've never experienced anything like this," says Nepalese poet Chirag Bangdel. "Thousands of people come to hear our poems. They cheer and ask for our autographs. It's like being a rock star. I don't want to leave. In fact, I'm looking for somebody here who might adopt me."