Sharjah Arabic Poetry Festival 2026 Opens On January 5 With 80 Poets And Golden Qawafi Winners

The 22nd Sharjah Arabic Poetry Festival is set to run from 5th to 11th January 2026. The event takes place under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Mohammad Al Qasimi. More than 80 poets, critics and media professionals from Arab countries and several African nations are scheduled to attend.

Sharjah’s Department of Culture organises the seven-day programme, which Abdullah bin Mohammed Al Owais says continues long-term support for Arabic poetry. Al Owais, Chairman of the Department, describes poetry as a central part of Arab cultural identity, and links the festival to Sharjah’s wider cultural initiatives.

This edition will introduce 12 new names among the winners of the fourth Golden Qawafi Award. Their works appeared during 2025 across 12 issues of Al-Qawafi magazine. On 6th January 2026, Golden Qawafi winners will be honoured at the House of Dr. Sultan Al Qasimi. They will present selected texts before an evening of readings at the House of Poetry.

The festival opens at the Cultural Palace in Sharjah with a recorded segment titled "Years of Poetry," followed by readings from participating poets. During the same ceremony, organisers will honour recipients of the fifth Sharjah Award for Arab Poetry Criticism. These events anchor the first day’s focus on both creative and critical writing.

An academic symposium accompanies the main programme under the title "The Emotional Trend in Arabic Poetry and Its Transformations," examining how feeling shapes Arabic poetic expression. Sessions will analyse the role of emotion in different historical stages. The symposium is scheduled for the fourth day, alongside further poetry readings at the House of Poetry.

Readings continue throughout the week at the House of Poetry, giving participants repeated opportunities to present new and published work. These sessions connect critics, poets and media specialists in one venue, supporting detailed discussions about style, language and contemporary issues in Arabic verse.

Sharjah Arabic Poetry Festival outreach and Arabic poetry platforms

Al Owais notes that the presence of African poets reflects the festival’s openness to broad poetic experiences. Participation from several African countries also supports Arabic poetry platforms across the continent. This regional mix demonstrates how the event links Sharjah’s cultural scene with Arabic-language communities beyond the Gulf.

The closing programme extends activities outside Sharjah city. A poetry evening at the Kalba Literary Council will highlight the emirate’s eastern region. The festival then ends in Kalba with a final poetry evening, reinforcing efforts to share cultural events across multiple areas of the emirate.

The overall structure of the 22nd Sharjah Arabic Poetry Festival combines awards, critical debate and public readings. By hosting events in Sharjah and Kalba, and welcoming voices from Arab and African countries, the 2026 edition continues the emirate’s established role in supporting Arabic poetry and related studies.

With inputs from WAM