The Ayyappa Paniker Foundation conducted a virtual gathering of poets from all over the globe in order to communicate their resistance to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Around 45 poets and 12 artists became part of the visual chain named ‘Voices from far and near’.

Poems written in different languages were translated into English and streamed in YouTube. The poems were collected and compiled by poet Santhan from Kerala.

The poets’ works touched upon themes including loneliness, the fear of the disease, the plight of the migrant workers thrown out from their jobs and forced to flee from the cities on foot. The session opened with the poem ‘The Circle’ by poet K. Satchidanandan, president of the foundation.

The Malayalam poets K.G. Sankara Pillai, Kureepuzha Sreekumar, S. Joseph, Rosemary, Santhan, Gireesh Puliyoor, Sebastian, Sivakumar Ambalapuzha, Sreejith Pernthachan, Vinod Vaisakhi, T.K. Santosh Kumar, Sabu Kottukal, Ravunni, Kalathara Gopan, Savithri Rajeevan, D. Anil Kumar and Suresh Nooranadu took part.