Lisette Ma Neza is the first ‘Public Poet’!

Almost 3,000 people voted in December for their favourite candidate for the very first ‘Public Poet Brussels’. These votes counted for 50%. The jury took note of the vote and agreed with the public’s preferences.

The first Public Poet is known: meet Lisette Ma Neza

Lisette Ma Neza is a poet with a camera. Her artistic practice is a constant attempt to translate herself and others. She transmutes the lives and feelings of the displaced, survivors of “great” violence, of Africans in Europe, of diasporas… of women… of Brussels. This research turns into poetic essays, spoken word, film and theatre. 

She is like Montreal, multilingual.
Like Dubai, Arabic.
She is like Kigali, I run into women there who look like me, who look like me at the people, at the country, at the world.
She’s like nothing else, chaotic, she’s upside down. She runs and she runs and she screams. She flinches, like a cat, who really just wants to be cuddled. She is like Berlin, I have heard, little Paris, I have heard. Za’atar, guaraná antartica, empanadas, ayran, tiramisu, makisu, pondu, açaï, fufu.
And she is the capital of Europe, lucky her, the capital of Europe. She is mine. She is Black and South American, she is Flemish, white and everything I – just not.And she is mine. She is mine. Not born, not raised and yet she is mine.

Lisette Ma Neza AKA @diemeisjevanbrussel fait de la poésie avec une caméra. Sa pratique artistique consiste en une continuelle tentative de traduction d’elle-même et des autres. 
I translate myself and others. Je me traduis et je traduis les autres en poèmes. J’écris des poèmes. J’écris des poèmes qui se transforment en chansons, des chansons qui se transforment en improvisations communes, de la musique qui se transforme en spectacles. J’écris des poèmes qui se transforment en films, des poèmes pour le papier, la scène et le théâtre. J’écris aussi des poèmes qui ne se transforment pas. 
Je parle le néerlandais, le kinyarwanda, l’anglais et j’adore le portugais. Je comprends le français et je fais semblant de le parler.

From 32 to 5 to 1

32 applications were received on 23 November. The jury selected the 5 most convincing candidates, who presented themselves to the Brussels public on 7 December. This presentation was also broadcast live. Between 8 and 31 December, the public were able to vote for their favourite candidate. A total of 2978 unique votes were cast. Online voting was very close. These votes counted for 50% of the evaluation.

The jury deliberated on 12 January, taking into account the artistic qualities of the participants, their link with the reality of Brussels and the content of the entries submitted. Lisette Ma Neza emerged from the deliberations as the first Public Poet Brussels. The Public Poet Brussels will begin her two-year poetic journey on 21 March.

World Poetry Day on 21 March 2024

The first inaugural poem will be presented on World Poetry Day on 21 March 2024 at a unique venue in Molenbeek at 5pm. The mandate of the Brussels Public Poet will end on 20 March 2026. During this period, the poet will create 19 poems reflecting the vibrant reality of Brussels.

During her tenure, the urban poet will celebrate the power of words in collaboration with Brussels’ different communities, enjoy complete artistic freedom and embrace the rich spectrum of Brussels’ multilingualism.

Mark your diary for 21 March 2024 at 5pm for the inauguration of Brussels’ first Public Poet and the presentation of the very first poem.

Brigitte Dreyfuss, co-chair of the jury:

“The 32 entries for the Public Poet Brussels brought us a breath of fresh air and intelligent words from the 4 corners of Brussels. The first selection led us to choose 5 submissions from 5 exceptional talents. After seeing them on stage, reviewing their entries and deliberating, I’m delighted that our joint choice has been Lisette, whose mission will be to ensure that poetry is spoken in the city’s different languages. Her intelligence and finesse will make her an exceptional first PPB! And congratulations to the 5, for whom I have a great deal of affection.”

Hassan Al Hilou, co-chair of the jury:

“In Lisette, we not only have a poet appreciated by the people of Brussels, but also a poet whose inspiring words reach beyond the borders of our city and enchant the hearts of all those who follow her pen.”

Jan Goossens & Fatima Zibouh (Co-Mission holders Molenbeek for Brussels 2030):

“Molenbeek for Brussels 2030 welcomes the appointment of Lisette Ma Neza as Brussels’ first public poet. Lisette embodies the young Brussels of the future, alternating naturally and virtuosically between languages, registers, forms and disciplines. She already has a very personal and distinctive voice, one that is both intensely committed and involved in the urban reality of all the people of Brussels and the common challenges we face. MB2030 is looking forward to many exciting collaborations and exchanges between the trajectory of public poet Lisette Ma Neza and that of Molenbeek for Brussels 2030, with which we will become European Capital of Culture in the coming years.”

Sven Gatz, Brussels minister responsible for promoting multilingualism:

“For me, the most important mission of the Public Poet Brussels is to connect the people of Brussels through poetry. In doing so, we also want to respond to the linguistic richness of Brussels, a city where multilingualism is unthinkable. I wish Lisette every success in the concrete implementation of her mission.”

Brussels Minister-President Rudi Vervoort, responsible for the image of Brussels:

“We have finally filled one of the few cultural gaps in our region, which already boasts a wealth of artistic, heritage, tourist and cultural attractions. I hope that our new poet, Lisette ma Neza, will use her words and her style to promote the diversity, joie de vivre, zwanze and multiculturalism that characterise the Brussels Region.“