Writer and peace-advocate, Ron Riddell, is one of New Zealand's most widely published poets. An arts graduate of Auckland University, he worked for many years as a school teacher. In recent years, he has been travelling and working in Latin America. Riddell has performed in a number of countries, including Chile and Colombia, where his latest book, Spirit Songs (like El Milagro de Medellin y otros poemas ) was published in a bi-lingual edition (English and Spanish). Riddell has performed his work in many festivals and cultural venues around the world, including The Edinburgh Festival, Harbourfront (Canada), El Festival Internacional de Poesia de Medellin (Colombia) and El Festival Internacional de Poesía de Cartagena (Colombia). He has also been involved in a number of peace and cultural initiatives in Colombia, Chile, U.S.A. and New Zealand. In Auckland Riddell established a haven for poets with the Live Poets' Café which adjoined the Dead Poets Bookshop in Karangahape Road. A painter, musician and the author of a number of plays and novels, he has published 15 collections of verse. At present, he lives in the New Zealand capital city, Wellington, where he is Director of The Wellington International Poetry Festival. In 2004 he was finalist in The Wellingtonian of the Year Awards.

Click here to read Ron's bio en Español.