Sharjah Arabic Poetry Festival 2025: Celebrating Poets And Literature

The 21st Sharjah Arabic Poetry Festival is set to take place from 6-12 January, 2025. This event will bring together over 70 poets, literary critics, and media figures from the Arab world and several African countries. It is held under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah.

Abdullah bin Mohammed Al Owais, Chairman of the Department of Culture in Sharjah, stated, "The Sharjah Arabic Poetry Festival, over its 21 editions, has become a vital cultural event, significantly enriching the Arab literary scene. Guided by the vision of His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, the festival continues to support Arab poets and encourage the production of authentic Arabic poetry."

The festival will honour two poets with the 13th Sharjah Award for Arabic Poetry for their outstanding contributions to Arabic literature: Emirati poet Talal Al Junaibi and Syrian poet Hussein Al Abdullah. The event will also celebrate winners of the 4th Sharjah Award for Arabic Poetry Criticism: Fathi Ben Belkacem Nasri from Tunisia took first place, followed by Dr. Ahmed Jarallah Yassin from Iraq in second place, and Ibrahim Al Karawi from Morocco in third.

Al Owais highlighted that poets from African nations such as Senegal, Mali, Niger, and Chad will participate. This inclusion marks an openness to new poetic landscapes and strengthens ties between Arabic poetry and African literary traditions. The festival's aim is to foster connections across diverse poetic cultures.

Beyond poetry readings, attendees can look forward to book signings by various poets. The festival will also unveil 12 new names celebrated for their contributions to the "Golden Qawafi Award" in its third edition. These poets have been contributors to "Qawafi" magazine over its 12 editions for 2024.

An intellectual symposium titled "Arabic Poetry: From Stability to Transformation" will explore critical issues and developments in Arabic poetry through studies and research. This symposium aims to delve into how Arabic poetry has evolved over time.

The festival will commence at the Sharjah Cultural Palace with a documentary titled "A Decade of Giving: The Houses of Poetry." Following this screening, there will be poetry readings by Talal Al Junaibi (UAE), Hussein Al Abdullah (Syria), and Talal Al Salti (Oman). These readings promise to showcase diverse poetic voices.

The winners of the 3rd Golden Qawafi Award will also be honoured at the Dr. Sultan Al Qasimi Centre. This recognition underscores their significant contributions to contemporary Arabic poetry.

As this year's festival unfolds, it continues its tradition of celebrating both established and emerging voices in Arabic literature while fostering cultural exchange between regions.

With inputs from WAM