We’re celebrating International Mother Language Day 2026 by welcoming newly appointed Multilingual City Poet, Jeremy Pak Nelson.

Jeremy Pak Nelson is a writer and artist from Hong Kong who now calls Manchester home. His work has appeared in Magma Poetry, Interpret, and others, and his climate fiction has been selected as a Grist: Imagine 2200 Editor’s Pick. He was writer-in-residence at UK Space Conference 2025. He holds an MFA from Vermont College of Fine Arts, and was part of the inaugural Poets of Colour Incubator program. His preoccupations include outdated methods of putting words on paper, folk fiddle, and the game of go.

 

The City Poet role carries a civic responsibility, much like conventional Poet Laureate designations, with the poets acting as ambassadors for Manchester’s residents, communities and literature organisations. Jeremy will join current City Poet, Nóra Blascsók, and over the next year will be commissioned to produce and translate new writing, as well as leading an original engagement project of his choice.

Previously commissioned work has responded to events such as Festival of Libraries and Manchester Day, and poems have been written to be read on the page, heard in performance and watched on film. The City Poets translate each other’s writing each time a new poem is created, so all commissioned work is available in a variety of languages.

On becoming a City Poet, Jeremy said the following:

I’m honoured to be selected as a Multilingual City Poet. The languages we speak are inseparable from our families’ histories, and I’m excited to share my own family’s story of multigenerational immigration through English, Mandarin, and Cantonese – a story that I know resonates with many in our city. Manchester’s arts and culture scene is so vibrant thanks, in part, to our city’s incredible diversity, and I’m eager to work with and be inspired by the other artists and writers in Manchester who are weaving their relationships with language into their work.

International Mother Language Day is an internationally recognised UNESCO designated day that takes place on 21st February every year. Around 200 languages are spoken in Manchester, and every year a programme of events takes place in community and cultural venues to celebrate this linguistic diversity. This year’s programme includes museum trails, open mic nights, panel discussions, a variety of workshops and more – as well as a collaboration with the Voiced Festival of Endangered Languages. 

We are delighted to welcome Jeremy on board, and look forward to another year of City Poet collaboration and creativity.