In a city where past and present intertwine, students from 31 schools from Greece, Cyprus and all the way to Johannesburg and New York gathered for the 9th International Student Literature Conference in Istanbul, dedicated to influential Greek poet Kiki Dimoula.
Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew set the tone, declaring, “Poetry is the place where there is no place for those who see the almond tree with the eyes of the woodcutter.”
Held at the historic Zographeion Lyceum, the conference coincided with World Poetry Day on Sunday. Scholars and students examined Dimoula’s work – her mythic figures, reflections on the body, and poetic contradictions. A highlight was the presence of Dimoula’s daughter, Elsi, who offered glimpses of the poet beyond the page – mother, worker, rebel.
As the students departed the conference, the poetry remained – etched in minds, carried across borders, whispered like an echo of the city itself.
Dimoula (1931-2020) was a prominent figure in the second post-war generation of Greek poets and a full member of the Academy of Athens. Her poetry is characterized by its exploration of themes such as hopelessness, insecurity, absence and oblivion, often using unconventional grammar and imagery to convey profound insights into human existence.