Durban announced as host city for the 5th World Slam Poetry Competition & Convention
In October 2026, Durban will host the 5th World Slam Poetry Competition & Convention featuring 40 of the world’s best Slam Poets from 40 nations to compete and to use poetry to provide creative and cultural solutions for the world’s challenges. The global event will be hosted by the Centre for Creative Arts at the University of KwaZulu-Natal from 5-11 October 2026 and coincides with the 30th anniversary of the Poetry Africa Festival, one of the continent’s most respected platforms for performance poetry.
Siphindile Hlongwa, the curator of the Poetry Africa festival, says:
“Whilst the World Slam Poetry Competition & Convention may not have the same budgets, political heavyweight and glitterati associated with the G20 Summit that took place earlier this month, the poetry event will have the focused attention of a global youth audience on South Africa.”
The 2026 event also holds deep historical resonance. It will mark 50 years since the 1976 Soweto Youth Uprising, a defining moment in South Africa’s liberation struggle, led by young people whose voices demanded justice.
“It is significant that this global youth-driven poetry event will be held in South Africa next year. Poetry has always been a part of South Africa’s DNA, from the Imbongi, to poets during the liberation struggle to today’s Spoken Word poets. The voices may be different, they are also in harmony with each other and the purpose remains: to speak truth to power” she added.
Spoken Word Poetry is one of the fastest-growing art forms across the globe. Spoken Word artists are fearless about using their imaginations, vocal ability and confidence to stir audiences to reflect on our pasts, critique the present and to re-imagine a better future for all.
In 2021, when the inaugural World Slam Poetry Competition was held in Brussels, Belgium, it was South African poet Xabiso Vili who took the world by storm by winning the inaugural title of World Slam Poetry Champion. This was a landmark victory for African voices on the global stage.
Reflecting on his poem, the then President of the World Slam Poetry Competition, Philip Meersman, said,
“South African poets put their hearts and minds in the poetry. It is informed by a rich legacy and an even richer tradition of oral poetry that is part of South Africa’s nationhood”.
Hlongwa, who was spearheaded the bid for the 5th World Slam Championships to be held in South Africa, envisions the Convention as a kind of poetic response to the G20.
“Now that the dust has settled after the world’s politicians have left South Africa after our country’s successful hosting of the G20 Summit, we are paving the pathway for 40 poets from across 40 nations to come to South Africa to use the power of poetry to put into motion what politicians will have spoken about at the G20 Summit”, she said.
Ismail Mahomed, the Director of the Centre for Creative Arts, says:
“The reach of the poets is an example of global democracy at play. It allows poets and audiences to use the power of creative imagination to strengthen a better social and political order for all of humanity.”
Mahomed adds that the 5th World Slam Poetry Competition & Poetry Africa Convention will be a significant boost for cultural tourism in Durban. The live event will also be streamed by poetry organisations in the 40 participating countries.
“This massive global audience is an ideal platform for sponsors wanting to reach out to young, engaging and critical audiences. We have put together various sponsorship packages for corporates that want to take advantage of reaching out to audiences and boosting their brands”, he said.
