On Saturday 14 June 2025 at 13:00 CET, Maricela Guerrero (Mexico City, 1977) and Rozalie Hirs perform as part of the program Sustainable Poetry Development at Poetry International Rotterdam, The Netherlands. They will present their work and engage in conversation with fellow poet and scholar Mia You. The event takes place at LantarenVenster in Rotterdam.
abstract
How can poetry contribute to a more sustainable world? In this programme – part of The Poetry Summit – we explore the role of ecopoetics as a powerful tool for expressing our interconnectedness with the Earth and revealing the relationships between species. Poets Rozalie Hirs (NLD) and Maricela Guerrero (MEX) are both known for their poetic explorations of the ties between humanity, nature, and language.
In a vibrant blend of performance and conversation, they show how poetry can give voice to fragile ecosystems – and how language itself can be seen as an ecological system, one that calls for care and attentiveness. Drawing from their distinct backgrounds, Hirs and Guerrero offer a rich range of perspectives, from science and sensory perception to activism and emotional kinship.
Expect an inspiring, multilayered program where poetry doesn’t just speak about sustainability, but is sustainable – as a form, a practice, and an act of connection.
This edition of Poetry International revolves around the theme The Poetry Summit. The festival opens and closes with a keynote lecture by Babs Gons, the Dutch Poet Laureate.
Date: June 14, 2025
Doors open: 13:00 CET
Program: Sustainable Poetry Development
Location: Poetry International, LantarenVenster, Otto Reuchlinweg 996, 3072 MD Rotterdam
Poets: Rozalie Hirs, Maricela Guerrero