Sharjah: His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah, has witnessed the launch of the activities of the 20th edition of the Sharjah Arabic Poetry Festival, organized by the Department of Culture.
The event ceremonies began with the presentation of recorded material dealing with the lives of poets honored in the festival before His Highness the Ruler of Sharjah. The material covered elements that led them to win the Sharjah Award for Arabic Poetry. It highlighted their most prominent achievements, major poetic works, and tireless efforts for Arabic poetry.
The poets also praised the role of Sharjah and its Ruler in supporting poetry in the Arab world through poetry houses, poetry festivals, and celebrating and honoring poets.
His Highness, the Ruler of Sharjah, honored the two festival figures, namely, Mr. Ali Al Shaali from the United Arab Emirates and Mr. Arif Al Saadi from the Republic of Iraq, winners of the 12th Sharjah Award for Arabic Poetry 2024.
His Highness also honored the winners of the third edition of the Sharjah Award for Arabic Poetry Criticism. The Tunisian critic Al-Moncef Al-Wahaibi won the first place, while Moroccan critic Anouar Benyaish won the second place, and another Moroccan critic Al Hussein Benbada won the third place.
During the event, His Highness listened to poetry readings by the poet Ali Al Shaali from the UAE and poet Arif Al Saadi from the Republic of Iraq.
The festival offers the opportunity to witness diverse events including several poetry evenings and sessions. The latest edition will also witness the signing of new poetry collections published by the Department of Culture in Sharjah and the organization of an intellectual event discussed by 7 Arab critics on the development of the language of Arabic poetry.The festival will move to the city of Khorfakkan on its seventh day as part of a poetry evening at the Khorfakkan Literary Council.
The Sharjah Arabic Poetry Festival contributes to preserving the basic foundations of poetry and nurturing the poetic heritage. It will enrich the poetic arena with specialized poetic literary production. The contributions also come through embracing poets and poetry lovers and organizing a forum for poetry evenings with the participation of poets and critics from the Arab world. They will illuminate the Emirates’ nights with poetry and enrich the intellectual program of the festival.
The opening ceremony was graced with the presence of Mr. Sheikh Mohammed bin Humaid Al Qasimi, Chairman of Department of Statistics and Community Development, Dr. Abdullah bin Mohammed Belhaif Al Nuaimi, Chairman of Sharjah Consultative Council, Mr. Rashid Ahmed bin Al Shaikh, Chairman of Ruler’s Court, Major General Saif Al Zari Al Shamsi, Commander-in-Chief of Sharjah Police, Abdullah Mohammed Al Owais, Chairman of Department of Culture, Dr. Mansour bin Mohammed bin Nassar, Chairman of Sharjah Government Legal Department, Mr. Khalid bin Jasem Al Midfa, Chairman of Sharjah Tourism and Commerce Development Authority, Mr. Ali Ahmed Bu Ghazin, Chairman of Sharjah Fish Resources Authority, Mr. Mohammed Obaid Al Zaabi, Chairman of Protocol Department.
A number of senior officials and members of Sharjah Consultative Council graced the event with heir presence. In addition, group of writers, intellectuals, poets and poetry lovers were also present in the ceremony.