Poetry is a Path for Positive Peace: on re-enchantment, creativity, and the word for world is forest

Friday 9 May 2025 · Afternoon · 2 hours

Workshop Overview

The “Poetry is a Path for Positive Peace: on re-enchantment, creativity, and the word for world is forest” workshop lasted 2 hours and explored how poetry and expressive arts can foster positive peace and deeper human connection. Participants engaged in guided meditation, creative writing exercises, decentering activities, and discussions to experience poetry as a tool for understanding self, others, and the natural world.

Activities included metaphorical self-reflection, observing and interacting with nature, color exercises, and sharing writings. These exercises were designed to unlock creativity, deepen empathy, and explore healing within a collective context, helping participants reconnect with their creative energy and imaginative capacities.

Led by Vanessa Meng, a therapeutic creative writing educator and expressive arts facilitator, the workshop emphasized re-enchanting everyday life and using expressive arts to bridge differences. Participants were encouraged to explore how creativity and poetic expression can inspire positive social change and imagine new possibilities for themselves, their communities, and the world.