MAYOR BLOOMBERG HOSTS THIRD ANNUAL TWITTER ‘POETWEET’ CONTEST

Here is a fun spoken word actively spreading poetry through technology. If you’re a poet it should be a great way to get exposure for your poems.

Gregory

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Mayor to Select Winners of “Poetweet” Contest to Appear in Metro New York and on MTV 44 ½ Times Square Screen on Poem in Your Pocket Day (April 26)

In honor of April as National Poetry Month, starting Friday, April 6, the Office of the Mayor is hosting the third annual “Poetweet” Twitter poetry contest. Poems sent using the hashtag #NYCpoetweet by April 20^th will be considered for the grand prize: appearance in Metro New York and on the MTV 44 ½ Times Square screen on April 26, the 10^thanniversary of Poem in Your Pocket (PIYP) day. The rules are simple: keep it clean, and keep it to one Tweet.

Initiated in 2002, PIYP is a citywide celebration led by the Office of the Mayor in partnership with the New York City Departments of Cultural Affairs and Education to encourage all New Yorkers to appreciate poetry and highlight the importance of literacy. Throughout the month, literary organizations will host poetry events across the five boroughs, and on April 26 all New Yorkers will be encouraged to carry a poem in their pocket to share with friends, family and colleagues. Partners for the 10^th anniversary of PIYP day include the Academy of American Poets, the Bryant Park Corporation, the Mayor’s Office of Media and Entertainment, Metro New York, the Poetry Society of America, and the Times Square Alliance. Visit nyc.gov/poem for a calendar of events taking place throughout the month of April and “like” the Poem In Your Pocket Day NYC Facebook page for updates on PIYP activities citywide.

WHO: New Yorkers and Visitors from Around the World

WHAT: NYC “Poetweet” Twitter Poetry Contest

- To celebrate National Poetry Month and NYC’s Poem in Your Pocket day

- The rules are simple: keep it clean, and keep it to one Tweet

- Winners selected by the Mayor published in Metro New York and on MTV 44 ½ Times Square screen on PIYP day, April 26^th

WHEN: Friday, April 6 – Friday, April 20, 2012

WHERE: NYC Mayor’s Office Twitter page (www.twitter.com/nycmayorsoffice)

CONTACT: Danai Pointer or Ryan Max (Cultural Affairs), (212) 513-9323

The NYC Council and the New York Times Collaborate to Host Cyber Bullying Summit on July 18th

Here is information on a cyber bullying summit next month organized by our NYC Council and The New York Times.

Gregory
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Dear New Yorker,

While advances in technology have resulted in many great opportunities for our children, they have also led to new threats to their safety and well-being.

As part of our ongoing effort to combat bullying among kids in today's digital age, the NYC Council will be hosting a Cyber Bullying Summit on Monday, July 18th. Additional details are listed below:

Cyber Bullying Summit 2011
Monday, July 18th
5 p.m. to 8 p.m.
The Times Center
242 West 41st Street (between 7th and 8th Avenues)
Manhattan

Sponsored by The New York Times Company, this educational event will bring together widely renowned leaders in technology and Internet safety. Facebook, Microsoft, MTV and other social media outlets will be available at the summit to speak to parents about what they can do to protect their children from cyber bullying and encourage responsible online behavior.

Counselors, child advocates, and representatives from the NYC Department of Education, the NYC Department of Youth and Community Development, and the NYC District Attorney's Office will also be at the summit, as will cyber bullying and cyber safety expert, Parry Aftab, founder of Wired Safety.com and creator of CyberBullying.org.

We're thrilled to bring together this group of experts from industry, government and advocacy so we can provide parents and guardians the tools and information they need to keep their children safe in today's digital age.

You can read more about the event by clicking on the NY Daily News article below:

http://www.nydailynews.com/blogs/dailypolitics/2011/05/first-look-city-council-versus-cyberbullying

If you would like to RSVP to the summit, please click here or visit us online at www.council.nyc.gov. You can also share this event with friends on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=213979951956411.

Please note that space at The Times Center is limited. If you have any questions about the event, feel free to contact Nick Rolf in the Council's Community Outreach Unit at (212) 442-5765 or nrolf@council.nyc.gov.

Thanks and we hope to see you at The Times Center on July 18th!

Sincerely
Christine C. Quinn
Speaker
NYC Council

Lewis Fidler
Chair, Youth Services Committee
NYC Council

Robert Jackson
Chair, Education Committee
NYC Council

Fernando Cabrera
Chair, Technology Committee
NYC Council