As part of Celje's activities as a UNESCO Creative City of Literature, the Celje Central Library and the Slovenian Writers' Association kindly invite you to actively participate in the national conference on poetry entitled Poetry in the Time of Nightmare, which will take place on Tuesday, April 21, 2026, from 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. in the Celje Center (small hall) in Celje.

The symposium will reflect on the role of poetry in times of many contemporary crises – from wars, climate change and pandemics to the disintegration of social discourse, algorithmic surveillance and fears related to artificial intelligence. The focus will be on whether and how poetry can open up new horizons of meaning, create a space for critical reflection and act as a form of resistance and vigilance in such times.

The conference program consists of introductory speeches and thematic roundtables, which will feature poets, critics, editors, representatives of the media, publishing houses, libraries and the younger generation of literary creators. The discussions will take place in smaller groups, and their findings will be presented in the final part of the conference. The event will be moderated by Neža Prah Seničar.

Thematic panels will address the following areas:
• Poetry
• Media
• Libraries
• Young people
• Publishing houses

After the discussion, at 2:30 PM, you can join us for the afternoon program, which will include a guided tour of the city of Celje, an afternoon gathering with poets, a tour of the Little Veronica exhibition, and a viewing of the production of The Seamstress of Madness at the Slovenian Folk Theatre in Celje (at 6:00 PM).