MPOTO KUSHIRI KOMBE LA DUNIA LA MASHAHIRI UFARANSA

ALLIANCE FRANCAISE and THE FRENCH EMBASSY are proudly supporting Mrisho Mpoto’s participation to the Third Slam Poetry World Cup in June in Paris, France. In September 2008, Mrisho Mpoto, an increasingly popular Tanzanian poet, singer and comedian won the 2008 Indian Ocean Slam Poetry Competition organized in the Réunion Island by the Slamlakour network, with the support of the Conseil Général (Regional Parliament). His trip was facilitated by the French Embassy in Tanzania and the Alliance Française Dar es Salaam. In June 2009, Mrisho will be in Paris to participate in the 2009 World Slam Poetry Competition to represent Tanzania. His trip will be also facilitated by the French Embassy in Tanzania and the Alliance Française Dar es Salaam. Late 2008, Mrisho approached the Alliance Française Dar es Salaam and proposed to organize a Slam Poetry Competition in Dar es Salaam. The idea was most welcome and Alliance assisted Mrisho and his partners to design the project document. The Third Slam Poetry World Cup will take place in France, at Bobigny, a town part of the greater Paris, from 16th to 21st June 2009. The competition rules are strict: each poem presentation is done within less than 3 minutes and in the poet’s original language. Therefore, Mrisho will say his poems in Kiswahili. Each poet will present six different poems and the Competitions can be between two poets or more and between two teams or more. This year’s World Cup will have 16 poets from 16 different countries, including 3 African countries, to compete: Austria, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Holland, Madagascar, Quebec, Spain, Swaziland, Sweden, Tanzania, UK, USA and Zimbabwe. The main sponsors include the French Ministry of Education, the French Ministry of Culture, the City of Paris, the City of Bobigny and MTV Base.