'Nothing will have a greater impact on your life chances and your ability to affect change within the world than the words you choose to use.'
——Mark Grist UK Poet and Author, Festival MC
Recently, the four-day Worldwise Poetry Festival successfully concluded at Dulwich College Shanghai Pudong. Four secondary school students from Dehong Shanghai joined over 50 young creators from sister schools across the Dulwich and Dehong family—including Dulwich College Shanghai Pudong and Puxi, Dulwich International School Suzhou, and Dulwich College Seoul—gathering together for this vibrant celebration of creativity and exchange of ideas.
More than a cultural gathering, this was a powerful demonstration of our family of schools in action. Secondary students had a unique opportunity to explore poetry in depth alongside peers from different schools, perspectives and cultural contexts, significantly enriching both their academic and personal development.
The Festival, themed This Changes Everything, immersed students in a dynamic programme of workshops, performances and collaborative learning. Crucially, students worked closely with acclaimed UK poets Mark Grist and Theresa Lola, not as distant speakers, but as mentors—guiding, challenging and coaching students in small-group settings （Mark Grist has also visited Dehong Shanghai on multiple occasions, collaborating with Dehong students in creative sessions）. This level of access to practising writers enabled students to experience how language functions as a living, evolving discipline beyond textbooks. Under their tutelage, students explored a wide range of creative forms including:
- Poetry, music and lyrics
- Ekphrastic poetry inspired by visual art
- Poetry and the moving image
- Poetry writing and performance
Across the Festival, students experimented with form, sound, imagery and performance—developing ideas, taking creative risks and discovering how poetry can be used to express identity, challenge assumptions and connect with others. The experience culminated in final performances and showcases that celebrated creativity, collaboration and personal expression.
A highlight of the Festival was a Poetry Reading with Mark Grist and Theresa Lola, which also featured an exclusive online session with UK Poet Laureate Simon Armitage, giving students direct insight into contemporary poetic practice and creative pathways beyond school.
'The Worldwise Poetry Festival provided a rare opportunity to explore this powerful art form in depth. Through a range of innovative activities, students were able to build confidence in writing, speaking and performance while collaborating with peers across our family of schools. Working with professional poets Mark Grist and Theresa Lola, they also explored how words can challenge thinking, spark creativity and, importantly, inspire change. The Festival was an incredible experience for everyone involved.'
——Jonathan Booth Festival Organiser Head of English at Dulwich Pudong
'Together with the students, we created poetry that explored the theme of "This Changes Everything". We can change how we feel about poetry by writing work that connects with art, film, theatre and performance. Ultimately, this helps us understand how the words we use have an impact on others around us. Nothing will have a greater impact on your life chances and your ability to affect change within the world than the words you choose to use.'
——Mark Grist UK Poet and Author, Festival MC
The Worldwise Poetry Festival, organised jointly with EiM, was a joyful and inspiring four-day celebration of creativity, learning and collaboration. Hosting students from across the EiM network, we were thrilled to see them fully engaged—experimenting with language, taking creative risks, and supporting one another as they explored new ways of writing, performing and expressing ideas. Opportunities to work closely with world-class poets added an extra spark, giving students insight, guidance and encouragement that enriched their festival experience and left a lasting impression on both their confidence and their love of English.
