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Helicon Self-description
Helicon Society for the Advancement of Poetry in Israel was jointly founded in 1990 by the poet Amir Or, Helicon's editor-in-chief and artistic director, and Irit Sela. Helicon is a non-profit organization, headed by an executive committee. The present chairman of the committee is Dr. Liora Barash-Morgenstern.
In Israel, split culturally, socially, and politically, poetry has an additional major role. With its power of elevation, poetry is able to bridge two distant worlds and to reduce the distance between rivals; thus it contributes to the realization of the peace for which our region strives.
What we do
Helicon is a poetry journal, a poetry press, and a training centre for young poets; it produces poetry performances, initiates interactive ventures between poetry and the other arts, promotes communication and sharing among poets writing in the various languages of Israel (Hebrew, Arabic, English, Russian, and more), imports poetry from the world into Israel, and exports Israeli poetry to the world. In short, Helicon is an independent locus and catalyst of poetry.Why we do it
Throughout the ages, poetry has provided society with the sense of existential meaning beyond the dry facts, and the ability to touch the essence of our life. Poetry is again becoming a central component of every nation's and every people's cultural identity: a textual essence of common memory, imagination, dreams, and values that create a culture and make it unique. Poetry is rising in the world again, and we wish to enrich it in Israel as well.In Israel, split culturally, socially, and politically, poetry has an additional major role. With its power of elevation, poetry is able to bridge two distant worlds and to reduce the distance between rivals; thus it contributes to the realization of the peace for which our region strives.