Professor Selina Tusitala Marsh has been named the inaugural Commonwealth Poet Laureate by the Commonwealth Foundation in a move set to highlight the transformative power of poetry. This historic appointment, according to a statement, recognises poetry’s unique ability to articulate deep emotions and foster understanding across diverse communities.
Professor Marsh, an internationally acclaimed poet, author, and advocate, will bring her powerful voice to major Commonwealth events, including Commonwealth Day, the Commonwealth People’s Forum, and various Ministerial and Heads of Government Meetings. She will also serve as a key advisor for the Commonwealth Foundation’s creative programming, leveraging her expertise as the principal agency for Commonwealth culture.
Dr. Anne T. Gallagher AO, Director-General of the Commonwealth Foundation, praised the appointment, stating, “Her poetry travels effortlessly from the smallest community to the global stage: illuminating the concerns and aspirations of our 2.7 billion citizens and challenging all of us to listen more closely. There could be no finer inaugural Commonwealth Poet Laureate.”
Marsh’s impressive career includes serving as New Zealand’s Poet Laureate from 2017 to 2019 and performing for Queen Elizabeth II. Her work, including the multi-award-winning graphic memoir series “Mophead,” frequently tackles themes of identity, belonging, and climate justice. Beyond her writing, Professor Marsh co-directs the Centre for Arts and Social Transformation at the University of Auckland and has dedicated herself to mentoring new writers across the Pacific.
Her role will extend to in-person appearances at the Commonwealth People’s Forum and Heads of Government Meeting in Antigua & Barbuda in 2026. The Commonwealth Foundation anticipates that Professor Marsh will build bridges, challenge assumptions, and ignite imagination throughout the Commonwealth, reinforcing the belief that “poetry—indeed creativity in all its forms—is not an embellishment of the Commonwealth story—it is a catalyst for justice, understanding and hope.”
