Slam poet Luka Haralampou is set to compete in the US after winning the Melbourne Poetry Festival Slam Poetry final last month.

I guess my work is about creating a collective consciousness, creating a body of knowledge about each other, raising migrant and indigenous issues, and spreading respect.

Mr Haralampou, who performs under the name “Lesson”, said he is “honoured” to be the second Australian to be competing in the World Individual Slam Poetry Finals in the USA, which will be held in Charlotte, North Carolina, from December 8 until December 11.

“It feels like I’m breaking ground for the next generation of poets,” he told Neos Kosmos.

“Hopefully I can bring back some information and help poets here,” he said, adding that his plan is to get a strong local team together so that eventually Australian poets can travel to the States regularly.

“I’d like to help set up an easy trail between here and the States, which is where slam poetry originated,” he said.

Haralampou will be writing some new material for the World Individual Slam Poetry Finals, where he will compete against around 65 other poets, mostly Americans.

“I’ll be promoting the same messages in the States as I do here.

“My messages are different, depending on my individual pieces but I guess my work is about creating a collective consciousness, creating a body of knowledge about each other, raising migrant and indigenous issues, and spreading respect,” he said.

“My big thing is being a top quality performer, I want to go over there and just be really happy with my performances.”

Haralampou will host a fundraising gig later this month, where musicians and slam poets from Melbourne will perform.

The event will be held at the Footscray Arts Centre on Saturday, November 27, at 5pm, and costs $10 entry.

For information on Haralampou’s fundraising event, contact Footscray Arts Centre on (03) 9362 8888, or visit http://footscrayarts.com

Haralampou has also set up an online campaign to raise funds for his flight to the USA to compete in the finals.
For more information, visit: http://www.fundbreak.com.au/beta/index.php/archive/
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