Of Birds & Being with Galeo Saintz

ABOUT

The reading Of Birds and Being forms part of a growing collection of poems about birds written over the last 10 years by poet, ecologist and mountain guide Galeo Saintz.

Many of the poems for this reading have their genesis in the greater Plett area, others come from the Himalaya, the wilderness areas of the American West, Europe and Australia to name a few.

The poems are a celebration of birds, their qualities, beauty and symbolism. 

We will meet at the Space Between, just down from the Plett Airport. The reading will be followed by a short walk amongst the fynbos with views to the ocean. Excellent smoothies and snacks can be ordered at the venue. 

Galeo Saintz is a recognised global expert on trails. He is Co-Founder of the 56 day Rim of Africa (700km) mountain traverse, the Eden to Addo Corridor Hike (400km) and the Garden Route Walking Festival. In 2012 he was elected the Founding Chair of the World Trails Network, a global network of the world’s leading trails and trail destinations, based in Geneva, Switzerland. His trail work regularly takes him to remote destinations and ecosystems rich in biodiversity. 

In his conservation work Galeo has undertaken numerous expeditions to raise awareness concerning human and wildlife coexistence, and since 2016 he is active through the IUCN (International Union for the Conservation of Nature) as Co-Chair of its Commission on Environmental, Economic and Social Policy’s Theme on Environment and Peace and its Task Force on Migration and Environmental Change. He is also an active member of the Environmental Peacebuilding Association in Washington DC, and regularly gives presentations and papers at global congresses. 

More a collector of feathers, but an aspiring bird watcher, Saintz has over 100+ found feathers from across the globe, all collected on various trail journeys, expeditions and local walks, they are randomly stashed between books, in boxes, and then there is always one that can be found in his cap.