World Poetry Day in Rome – Biblioteca Universitaria Alessandrina

A day of poetry in the heart of the University City

In Rome, the capital of Italy and the Lazio region, the Biblioteca Universitaria Alessandrina at Piazzale Aldo Moro 5 celebrates the World Poetry Day established by UNESCO for March 21st every year. This is far more than a simple conference: from 10:00 AM to 7:00 PM, the library transforms into a literary hub where established poets, emerging voices, scholars, and performers take the stage in a continuous flow, welcoming a public free to come and go as they please.

The event is conceived and curated by Marco Colletti, poet and literary critic, and Valentina Di Stefano, poet and architect, in collaboration with the library directed by Daniela Fugaro. The organizers present it as an annual appointment—a "true Poetic New Year"—designed to bring together Rome's various poetic communities that often operate in isolation.

The format: readings, performances, and Platonic dialogues

The event's unique identity is built on three pillars throughout the day. There are readings, short and frequent, giving voice to dozens of authors of different generations, styles, and backgrounds. There are artistic performances, often accompanied by music or blending into contemporary dance. And, most importantly, there are dialogues: five debate sessions openly inspired by Platonic dialogues, where poets engage on open questions rather than simply reciting their verses.

• Poetry and Artificial Intelligence
• Poetry and its dissemination in the Rome area
• National poetry and world literature
• Poetry and the wounds of the female world
• Poetry as a song of mystery or reality

A venue that makes the difference

The choice of venue is no coincidence. Founded in the 17th century and deeply linked to the history of the Sapienza University, the Alessandrina is one of the most important state public libraries in the capital and a cultural landmark of the San Lorenzo district, Rome's quintessential university area. Reading poetry among historic shelves and reading rooms shifts the tone of the listening experience: the event is not an open-air festival but an intimate gathering, closer to a seminar than a concert.

The theme of the most recent edition was drawn from a calligram by Guillaume Apollinaire—"Inside this mirror I am locked alive and true as angels are imagined and not as reflections are"—to suggest that the truth of poetry is not a reflection but a source of light.

Why it's worth attending

World Poetry Day at the Alessandrina is one of the most intense events in Rome's spring literary calendar, yet it remains highly accessible: admission is free and no reservation is required. Those with little time can drop in for an hour to catch a handful of readings; those who want to follow the thread can stay from morning to evening and watch a living map of contemporary Italian poetry unfold hour by hour.

It is also an opportunity to engage with a debate that the curators themselves place at the center: the lack of a permanent "House of Poetry" in Rome. From this perspective, the March 21st event acts as a temporary home, open for twelve hours a year to anyone who wishes to cross its threshold.

Part of the Lazio calendar

The event is part of the network of initiatives that animate Lazio, and Rome in particular, every March 21st, involving municipal libraries and national museums. The Alessandrina event stands out for its duration, the number of authors involved, and its debate-focused structure, making it a distinct and recognizable initiative within the UNESCO celebration.