Michaël Liekens, aged 12, has been named Antwerp’s first junior city poet during the opening ceremony of the Jeugdboekenmaand (Youth Book Month) on Saturday.
Liekens earned the title by winning a poetry competition that attracted over 200 participants.
The city announced that one of his poems will be displayed at the entrance of Antwerp City Hall.
The winning poem, titled “De koe sprong over de maan” (The cow jumped over the moon), was selected by the jury for its “playful use of language and humorous imagination.”
According to the jury, the poem carries a joyful message: “Keep chasing your dreams, no matter how unusual they may be.”
This year’s Jeugdboekenmaand slogan is “Read! Roar! Grow!”
To promote the campaign, the organisation Iedereen Leest has enlisted internet personality Timon Verbeeck and singer Sali Haidara, both of whom aim to make reading more appealing to children.
“Reading is fun but often feels like homework to many children,” noted Verbeeck. “Initiatives like Youth Book Month make reading more accessible and enjoyable.”
Jeugdboekenmaand runs from 1 to 31 March and features hundreds of activities in schools, libraries, and cultural centres across Belgium.
Key events include the Kabaal children’s book festival in Antwerp and Brussels, BOE(N)K in Mechelen, and the Youth Book Festival in Bruges.
The campaign is organised by Iedereen Leest, with support from partners including Ketnet and VRT.
The programme and book recommendations are available online at Jeugdboekenmaand.be.
