Poetry advocacy initiative: you are invited

UNDP has launched an outreach campaign to advocate collective awareness and appreciation for issues of land, nature and broader environmental themes. The initiative is designed to involve practitioners and citizens more directly in the issues of the upcoming UNCCD COP13 (link to the COP13 page). Everyone is invited to:

• Compose a short 3-4 line poem; and
• Submit any original photo or illustration to accompany your poem 

The poem should focus on a nature theme related to COP13 or a similar environmental topic, and capture a special positive mood, feeling, memory or inspiring observation. It can also describe a wildlife encounter, a special view, or a nature activity that made a lasting impression. Below are two examples of poems:

Blue jay flairs its grace
One swift visit at a time 
How it stays – a surprise
Blue beauty in motion

White-laced evergreens 
overlook fresh-made paw tracks
heading out for dinner
snow leopard at dusk

We hope to highlight some poems during COP13 through social media, as well as in a book of poems on the environment.  
Be creative and have fun! Everyone is welcome to participate, including students, teachers, environmental experts, and representatives of the public and private sector. Poems can be submitted in any language by 25 August via email: tim.scott [at] undp.org (tim[dot]scott[at]undp[dot]org), midori.paxton [at] undp.org (midori[dot]paxton[at]undp[dot]org) and ruoqi.zhu [at] undp.org (ruoqi[dot]zhu[at]undp[dot]org).