The 30th National Poetry Festival concluded yesterday with the call for peace and justice and awarding of two poets.

Sazzad Qadir was conferred with the National Poetry Award-2016, while Belal Chaudhuri received a citation from the Jatiya Kabita Parishad.

Addressing a discussion on the occasion, Rafique Ullah Khan, professor of Bangla at Dhaka University, said growing apathy towards arts and literature was one of the main reasons for worldwide terrorism and cruelty today.

"Poets write for peace and friendship," he told the discussion on "Poetry for Friendship, Poetry for Peace".

"Poetry always speaks for people, truth and justice," added Golum Kuddus, president of Sammilito Sangkritik Jote.

The two-day festival was held at Hakim Chattar of DU. Jatiya Kobita Parishad (JKP) organised it with the theme "Kobita Moitrir, Kobita Shantir".

Indian poet Dilip Das said, "If the verses of a poem lack the language of poetry, it will go in vain and become useless for the nation."

More than 200 poets from India, Sweden, Norway, Slovakia, Morocco, Taiwan, Nepal and other countries shared their own writings, while poetry recitals by artistes kept the audience spellbound throughout the event.

The festival became a rendezvous for poetry lovers of all ages.

Md Mejanur Rahman, an associate professor of the Shanto-Mariam University of Creative Technology, came with a dozen of his students.

He said, "I brought my students along so that they can know about poetry and inculcate humanist values in themselves."

President of JKP Muhammad Samad said, "There is an intense relation between poetry and movement. Poetry talks about dream, consciousness and determination."

Pleased at people's response to the festival this year, Samad told The Daily Star, "We want to continue our effort to make future festivals successful too."

A musical performance was held at the end of the festival.