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![Adiela Akoo logo - meditation- black square jpg.jpg](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/7bae5f_394b1fc6b1474db6bab3b6c0bef8e647~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_432,h_432,al_c,q_80,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,enc_auto/Adiela%20Akoo%20logo%20-%20meditation-%20black%20square%20jpg.jpg)
![Adiela Akoo - May Every Being Not Just Learn But MASTER The Language Of Tolerance, Peace,](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/7bae5f_4c4c240b97224c7db8ddfd9b9ea63d55~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_432,h_432,al_c,q_80,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,enc_auto/Adiela%20Akoo%20-%20May%20Every%20Being%20Not%20Just%20Learn%20But%20MASTER%20The%20Language%20Of%20Tolerance%2C%20Peace%2C%20.jpg)
PRESS 2020
ALAN PATON LITERARY FESTIVAL
6-8 March 2020
Eden Lassie
![Adiela Akoo reads from Lost in a Quatrain at the Alan Paton Literary Festival](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/7bae5f_7c94efaa397a4909a6c737644b6a1422~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_114,h_114,al_c,q_80,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,blur_2,enc_auto/Adiela%20Akoo%20_%20Lost%20in%20a%20Quatrain%20at%20The%20.jpg)
The tranquil and breathtakingly beautiful Eden Lassie, Tala Valley, South Africa, served as the perfect backdrop to get Lost in a Quatrain at The Alan Paton Literary Festival. It was indeed an honour to be invited as a guest speaker and to do a poetry reading at this event.
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![Adiela Akoo holding her book Lost in a Quatrain at the Alan Paton Literary Festival, Eden Lassie, Tala Valley, South Africa](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/7bae5f_f7670f8dd8f14d87a78af7bedc47b851~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_106,h_80,al_c,q_80,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,blur_2,enc_auto/Adiela%20Akoo%20with%20Lost%20in%20a%20Quatrain%20at%20T.jpg)
One of the highlights of the event was meeting award winning author, Dr Marguerite Poland.
Much to my surprise and euphoria, she contacted me a couple of weeks later with the following review of my debut book, Lost in a Quatrain:
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"Dear Adiela. I am so deeply touched by your gift and moved by many of your poems. You are a Tiger Butterfly and this grandma has often been sore! Wise words, deep thoughts, lovely images and through it all shines a loving and perceptive woman. Thank you for sharing your work with me. I shall return to it with pleasure and sometimes tears. Love from Marguerite Poland."​
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(more in my blog post on the festival)
![Adiela Akoo with Marguerite Poland, winner of Sunday Times CNA Literary Award, holding her copy of Lost in a Quatrain by Adiela Akoo](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/7bae5f_f7b96971262b4f46920166c1e39f0564~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_121,h_122,al_c,q_80,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,blur_2,enc_auto/Marguerite%20Poland%20with%20Adiela%20Akoo.jpg)
COVID-19 PANDEMIC
Midnight 26 March 2020
South Africa Goes Into Lockdown
![Adiela Akoo website - press 2020 image.jpg](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/7bae5f_8b674433ac324ca59fc2c420254e42fb~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_87,h_113,al_c,q_80,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,blur_2,enc_auto/Adiela%20Akoo%20website%20-%20press%202020%20image.jpg)
STAY HOME, STAY SAFE
![Lost in a Quatrain by Adiela Akoo](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/7bae5f_17a1e0f248d84860aad748df8003d0be~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_110,h_74,al_c,q_80,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,blur_2,enc_auto/Lost%20in%20a%20Quatrain%20by%20Adiela%20Akoo.jpg)
POEM CONTEST WINNER
April 2020
My poem 'VIRUS' wins the
Poetry In My MindPoem Contest
!['VIRUS' by Adiela Akoo wins Poetry in my Mind poem contest April 2020](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/7bae5f_81f839200ab74afcbcaeb35095c62052~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_111,h_111,al_c,q_80,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,blur_2,enc_auto/VIRUS%20by%20Adiela%20Akoo%20wins%20Poetry%20in%20my%20M.jpg)
INTERNATIONAL EXHIBITION
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June 2020
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'A City As A Writer's Workplace'
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Honoured to be one of the 100 writers chosen to be part of an International online exhibition, “A City as a Writer's Workplace”, which brought together a hundred photographs and texts from writers all around the world showcasing some of their favourite places to write in any UNESCO City of Literature.
I chose a photograph I had taken at a hotel, overlooking the Indian Ocean, in the Durban UNESCO City of Literature, where I was, for the most part, raised and schooled.
The exhibition is organized by the “Ulyanovsk UNESCO City of Literature”
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LOCKDOWN GIVEAWAY
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July 2020
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As a way of reaching out to people that are in isolation, and in an effort to make a difference during the extended lockdown due to the covid-19 pandemic, I have made Lost in a Quatrain FREE for the entire month. Download on Smashwords.
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![Lost in a Quatrain by Adiela Akoo offered free during covid 19 pandemic lockdown of July 2020](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/7bae5f_f25edf5122f0498294b368bf504e4293~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_111,h_74,al_c,q_80,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,blur_2,enc_auto/Lost%20in%20a%20Quatrain%20by%20Adiela%20Akoo.jpg)
COMMISSIONED
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August 2020
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My poem, 'Turn Back Time', was commissioned for Avbob's 'I Wish I'd Said' Volume 3 launching this month
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FINALIST BADGE
TOP 100
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August 2020
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GBC AWARDS
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Lost in a Quatrain makes it through another round to be in the Top 100 Finalists in the Global Book Community Awards 2020
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![Lost in a Quatrain by Adiela Akoo in top 100 finalist list by Global Book Community](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/7bae5f_b975481a90a14e7eaf089cf8eac4ffb1~mv2.png/v1/fill/w_64,h_23,al_c,q_85,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,blur_2,enc_auto/Lost%20in%20a%20Quatrain%20by%20Adiela%20Akoo%20in%20top.png)
'MOST PROMISING LITERARY INFLUENCER'
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12 September 2020
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GBC AWARDS
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Adiela Akoo honoured to be among the top 7
'Most Promising Literary Influencers' in the
Global Book Community Awards 2020
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![Adiela Akoo in Top 7 Most Promising Literary Influencers GBC Awards 2020](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/7bae5f_1fb2f434586843b9a022f3396096b0a4~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_126,h_89,al_c,q_80,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,blur_2,enc_auto/Adiela%20Akoo%20-%20Most%20Promising%20Literary%20In.jpg)
MILESTONES
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2020
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Adiela Akoo one of the 1000 poets,
from 139 nations, selected
to be a part of the world's largest
poetry anthology for peace,
'Songs of Peace',
with her poem 'How Long?'.
Anthology compiled and published
by The League of Poets
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![Songs of Peace - World's Largest Poetry includes poem by Adiela Akoo](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/7bae5f_1fda9527bab940af9103b9a16394a39a~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_59,h_89,al_c,q_80,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,blur_2,enc_auto/Songs%20of%20Peace%20-%20World's%20Largest%20Poetry%20.jpg)
![Songs of Peace - World's Largest Poetry Anthology includes poem by Adiela Akoo](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/7bae5f_07c8165c025b4946b09db0019e578985~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_59,h_89,al_c,q_80,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,blur_2,enc_auto/Songs%20of%20Peace%20-%20World's%20Largest%20Poetry%20.jpg)
INTERVIEW WITH TOM MCLAREN
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8 November 2020
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Enjoyed chatting about life, acting and superpowers with author, model, and Hollywood actor, Tom McLaren. Catch 'Adiela Akoo in conversation with Tom McLaren' on my blog
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![Adiela Akoo in conversation with Tom McLaren.jpg](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/7bae5f_536886d1bf4848caa04afd2585b20d27~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_97,h_55,al_c,q_80,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,blur_2,enc_auto/Adiela%20Akoo%20in%20conversation%20with%20Tom%20McLaren.jpg)
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MADIBALAND WORLD LITERARY FESTIVAL
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26 November 2020
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18:00 - 19:00
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Highly honoured to share space with phenomenal writers and read from Lost in a Quatrain at the Madibaland World Literary Festival
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![Adiela Akoo Reading from Lost in a Quatrain at Madibaland World Literary Festival.jpg](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/7bae5f_360dfb9bee0240e78149ed477ea1b14a~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_103,h_103,al_c,q_80,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,blur_2,enc_auto/Adiela%20Akoo%20Reading%20from%20Lost%20in%20a%20Quatrain%20at%20Madibaland%20World%20Literary%20Festival.jpg)