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Creation of a Canberra Centenary Poet Laureate
An Open Letter to the ACT Chief Minister, and Minister for the Arts and Heritage, Jon Stanhope.
Dear Chief Minister,As we approach Canberras Centenary in just over two years, people are turning their attention tohow we should celebrate the occasion. There has been discussion about hosting significant sportingmatches, providing a focus on Canberras history with projects such as theCanberra Diaspora, anddeveloping ideas that bring together innovation and sustainability.Another way to recognise and celebrate the milestone is through the appointment of a CanberraCentenary Poet Laureate. As theCanberra 100 visionstates:All Australians proudly celebrate and share in the centenary of Canberra, our nations capital  thecity that tells the story of our countrys freedom, spirit, achievements and aspirations.What better way to recognise and record our beautiful city than by appointing one of our many finepoets as Centenary Poet Laureate to write of our land, our sense of place, our people and ourculture.Canberra and its region has a history of being home to or being associated with some of Australiasfinest poets including A. D. Hope, Judith Wright, Les Murray, Rosemary Dobson, David Campbell,Geoff Page, Susan Hampton, Mark OConnor, Alan Gould and S. K. Kelen.In recent years, the Canberra Poetry Slam has highlighted a strong performance poetry sub-culturein Canberra withOmar Musawinning the Slam and going on to win the Australian Poetry Slam in2008. The Traverse Poetry Project in conjunction with The Front Cafe in Lyneham and the ACTWriters Centre continues with its goal of encouraging and developing young writers and has helpedmany new writers take the step from the desk to the stage.There are many other countries, states and cities that have the position of a Poet Laureate includingthe United Kingdom, United States, Canada, New Zealand, Wales, Ireland, Netherlands, Nigeria andthe Indian states of Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh. In Scotland, there is both a Scots
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and city
Makars
in Edinburgh, Glasgow and Aberdeen.The concept of a Centenary Poet Laureate would be threefold:
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To mark the occasion of the centenary with a major poem that would be read and publishedas part of the celebration on 12 March 2013
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To develop a suite of centenary poems over 2013 designed to capture Canberra, its land,people and culture for posterity; and
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To promote Canberra locally, nationally and internationally through media and onlineengagement, and at arts festivals and events.The appointment of a Centenary Poet Laureate would satisfy a number of the goals of Canberra 100,including to:
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