Word Warriors

Word Warriors Turns Ten

Word Warriors is celebrating 10 years of collaboration and community building through spoken word poetry.

Word Warriors

2021-06-01

Founded in 2010 by a group of young spoken word poets, Word Warriors (WW) has grown into a community of poets from across Nepal. Over the past decade, even though different people have led its programs, it has been successful in retaining its core values. This December, WW is celebrating a decade of collaborations and community building around spoken word poetry. As part of the tenth anniversary, we are hosting a series of discussions and performances to  share insights and reflect on the past ten years while looking forward to the next decade. 

Word Warriors Turns Ten will feature a series of private and public panel discussions with Word Warriors and the people we worked with over the span of ten years. Over the course of three days, we will host a four-part panel discussion series revolving around four prime themes: creating safe space, craft of spoken word poetry, WW community and inclusion. All sessions will be recorded via zoom meetings and two of them will also be broadcasted live on facebook or youtube. The program will end with a curated list of spoken word performances by Word Warriors.

Program Structure: 

Round table: A community of poets

Word Warriors was established to create a space for people to write and share spoken word poetry. This panel will reflect upon the group’s establishment and growth, its values, and the activities and decisions that have shaped it over the past ten years. It will discuss how the community can adapt to an evolving environment and continue to serve as a space for people to freely express themselves and be heard. 

Moderator: Yukta Bajracharya
Panelists: Sumitra Bogati, Samip Dhungel, Rownika Shrestha, Pramod KC, Deepa Bohora,Kriti Adhikari, Chanda Lama

Date: Friday, Jan. 15, 2021
Time: 4:00 pm to 6:00 pm

Happening on Zoom and facebook live

Comfort in Poetry

Word Warriors designs spaces for teaching and learning that encourages growth and builds confidence without the fear of discrimination, harassment and judgements. This panel will uncover layers on how and why safe workshop spaces are necessary for creativity and the sharing of poetry. There will be a discussion on topics such as: showing vulnerability, positive criticism, healthy competition, and how safe spaces can help us grow together as a team while also flourishing individually.

Moderator: Anushruti Koirala
Panelists: Ujjwala Maharjan, Rupesh Bhattarai, Nasala Chitrakar

Date: Saturday, Jan. 16, 2021
Time: 11:00 am to 12:30 pm

Happening on Zoom. Sign up here.

The Art of Poetry 

Word Warriors is a community that speaks the language of poetry and is invested in the craft of writing and performing poems. This panel is on the craft of writing poetry, and how writing for the stage differs from writing to be read. It will explore how the poets embody their poems on stage. We will talk about the components of spoken word poetry and discuss the elements of a poem, originality and ways of expression. 

Moderator: Priyanjali Karn
Panelists: Itisha Giri, Gaurab Subba, Rochak Dahal 

Date: Saturday, Jan. 16, 2021
Time: 4:00 pm to 5:30 pm

Happening on Zoom and facebook live

A stage for everyone

Word Warriors believes in creating safe spaces for anyone interested in writing and poetry regardless of their caste, economic status, position in society, sexual orientation or gender. This session will revolve around the need for engaging people from diverse communities. Panelists will reflect on why such inclusion is necessary, who benefits from it, how WW has sought to include people from diverse communities, and the challenges faced in ensuring such inclusion. 

Moderator: Larissa Shrestha
Panelists:  Anudeep Dewan, Yukta Bajracharya, Prakash Chandra Jimba,Bishnu Kala Rai

Date: Sunday, Jan. 17, 2021
Time: 7:00 pm to 8:30 pm

Happening on Zoom. Sign up here.

Word Warriors is a youth-led spoken word collective.

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