In response to Government guidance on Coronavirus, Eastside announces online celebration of ‘I know I wish I will’ with Digital Stage this World Poetry Day, Saturday 21st March 2020 to replace cancelled 25 hour West End Event.

New Digital Stage will broadcast 25 poems from young people online at Eastside and @EastsideLondon on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook.

• Help create a wave of poetry on social media this World Poetry Day by getting involved and liking, sharing, commenting, or posting your own spoken word poetry using hashtags #knowwishwill #worldpoetryday and tagging @EastsideLondon
• Digital stage replaces a 25-hour live spoken word poetry marathon due to run from 20th – 21st March at the Criterion Theatre, London

Head online from 11am on World Poetry Day, Saturday 21st March to see 20 young poets perform their spoken word poetry exploring the concept ‘I know I wish I will’.

By launching their Digital Stage for ‘I know I wish I will,’ Eastside aim to ensure that all of the creativity and hard work generated by the year-long poetry project will inspire and help us make sense of the challenges we face during this period in which everybody’s daily lives are disrupted.

‘I know I wish I will’ is also calling on the general public to come together and create a wave of new spoken word poetry on social media this World Poetry Day in the hope that sharing their experiences and feelings will nurture community and encouragement to old and new audiences, wherever they may be at this time and whatever challenges they may be facing.

The scheduled 25-hour poetry marathon was due to take place at London’s Criterion Theatre this weekend with 800+ young poets taking to the stage to celebrate World Poetry Day. The ‘I know I wish I will’ project has been over a year in the making, traversing the UK with workshops, performances and more, calling on all young people to air their opinions by writing a poem in response to the theme ‘I know I wish I will’. Asking what they know about themselves and the world around them, what they wish was different and what they will do to make a change, the competition aims to engage and empower young people.

Follow @EastsideLondon from 11am on Saturday 21^st March as we hear from some of the UK’s most inspiring young poets. Or get your film online and post on Instagram, Facebook or Twitter, using: #knowwishwill #worldpoetryday @EastsideLondon and we will share your work.