Harare — The inaugural three-day poetry festival that was held in Namibia ended on a high note here yesterday with participants calling for the re-integration of the region through art.

Running under the theme Chanting for Sadc, the poetry fiesta saw renowned poets from eight countries, namely Namibia, Swaziland, South Africa, Malawi, Angola, Botswana, Zambia and Zimbabwe not only taking to the podium to chant their works throughout Windhoek, but also served as an information launch pad where artistes where able to exchange notes and their experiences to strengthen and develop poetry in the region.

During the three-day event, the poets attended several workshops, where they were taught the use of local languages in enriching their poetic works, the need for gender sensitivity when writing about women and the relationship between creative writing and disability.

University of Zimbabwe English literature lecturer Memory Chirere and former UZ lecturer Dr Jairos Kangira, who is now with the Polytechnic of Namibia, were among several facilitators who took the poets through their paces.

It was indeed a marvel to watch the more than 50 poets discussing on the variations of poems they wanted included in an anthology to be titled My Africa: My Home-Redefinition that would be published by the London Press in the United Kingdom in the next few months.

The highlight of the event was when the poets took to the streets of some of Windhoek residential areas like Soweto, Katutura township and the Greenway Matongo to recite their poems to the public.

Zimbabwean robust and renowned poet Mbizo Chirasha received a rapturous applause when he recited one of his famous poems, Africa -- My Wonderland, a praise prose that salutes African luminaries such as the late Walter Sisulu, Kwame Nkrumah and former Mozambican president Samora Machel for the role they played in promoting pan-Africanism.

Controversial but talented South African coloured poet Khadija Tracey Heeger chanted a highly emotive piece titled, My Identity -- Who am I?, which brought to the fore the dilemma the Coloured community in South Africa found itself in when the country won its independence in 1994.

Other poets that illuminated the event included 23- year-old Kesolofetse Ditsabatho of Botswana, Phinda King Mkhonta from Swaziland, expressive Milensu Kapaipi of Zambia and upcoming Zimbabwe hip-hop poet Cynthia Marangwanda, who did the country proud with her outstanding poems on social consciousness.

Speaking at the end of the event, one of the festival organisers, Zimbabwean journalist based in Namibia, Wonder Guchu, said they were looking at ways of integrating the region through art.

The festival was meant to work with youths who have discovered their poetic voices in bringing together the region and redefining content.