On October 20, 2024, the II National Poetry Contest "Literary Journey" will kick off in Odesa for children aged 6 to 17. 

Participants can submit their works by filling out a contestant form at this link. All received works will be published on the festival's website and in the media. The jury will select winners and the best works for publication in the final almanac. Winners will receive cash prizes and invitations to the festival's gala concert.

This poetry contest aims to help children unlock their creative potential in writing poems and integrate them into the literary community of Odesa and Ukraine. During the festival, workshops and meetings with writers will be held. 

Participation in the contest is free of charge. 

A press conference is scheduled for October 18, 2024, at 5:00 PM at the children’s library No. 26, located at: K. Muratova Street (L. Tolstoy), 13.

The project is initiated by poet Ilya Kaminsky (USA), the office of "Odesa - UNESCO City of Literature", the Children's Library System of Odesa, the children's literature section of the Odesa branch of the National Union of Writers of Ukraine, in partnership with the newspaper "Evening Odesa". The event is supported by the Department of Culture, International Cooperation, and European Integration of the Odesa City Council.

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The goal of the "Literary Journey" contest is to discover and encourage poetically gifted students who can share their heartfelt thoughts with readers, inspiring and provoking reflection. 

Writing down thoughts on paper allows individuals to feel relief, free themselves from excessive worries, and overcome depression. Therefore, especially now, as Ukrainian children endure the horrors of war, this skill becomes a necessity.

The long-term goal set by the organizational committee of the "Literary Journey" festival-contest is to foster a talented, kind, and creative generation that perceives the world through poetry.