His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan Al Qasimi Inaugurates 21st Sharjah Arabic Poetry Festival
Sharjah, The Gulf Observer: His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah, inaugurated the 21st edition of the Sharjah Arabic Poetry Festival on Monday evening at the Sharjah Cultural Palace. Scheduled from January 6 to 12, the festival hosts over 70 poets, critics, and media professionals from across the Arab world.
The opening ceremony featured a video presentation titled “Ten Years of Giving: The Houses of Poetry,” which highlighted the accomplishments and publications of the Arabic Houses of Poetry. Attendees were treated to poetry readings by renowned poets, including Emirati Talal Al-Junaibi, Syrian Hussein Al-Abdullah, and Omani Talal Al Salti, marking the start of a week-long celebration of Arabic poetry and culture.
During the ceremony, His Highness honoured the winners of the 13th edition of the Sharjah Arabic Poetry Award. Emirati poet Talal Al-Junaibi and Syrian poet Hussein Al-Abdullah were recognized for their outstanding contributions to Arabic literary heritage.
Additionally, winners of the 4th edition of the Sharjah Award for Arabic Poetry Criticism were announced. Fathi Ben Bel Qasem Nasri from Tunisia secured first place for his research on autobiographies in contemporary Arabic poetry. Dr. Ahmed Jarallah Yassin from Iraq won second place for his study on the interplay of literary genres in contemporary Arabic poetry, while Ibrahim Al-Krawi from Morocco achieved third place for his work on the poetics of cross-genre texts.
The festival features poetry readings, a dedicated space for signing poetry collections, and the celebration of winners from the 3rd edition of the Golden Qawafi Award, recognizing 12 emerging poets featured in Qawafi Magazine.
An intellectual seminar titled “Arabic Poetry: From Stability to Transformation” will provide insights through research papers and critical studies. The festival also celebrates African poets from Senegal, Mali, Niger, and Chad, reflecting its commitment to expanding the horizons of Arabic poetry and strengthening connections with African poetry communities.
