The Department of Culture in Sharjah has announced the winners of the third edition of the Sharjah Award for Arabic Poetry Criticism, under the theme “The Structure of Poetic Discourse in Contemporary Arabic Poetry.”

The prestigious award, held under the patronage of His Highness Dr. Sheikh Sultan bin Mohammad Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah, has been a hallmark event since its inception in 2021.

Organised by the Directorate of Cultural Affairs at the Sharjah Department of Culture in Sharjah since 2021, the award is dedicated to nurturing the essence of Arabic poetry and encourage critics and enthusiasts interested in studying the poetic experience to enrich the Arab creative landscape.

The three winners include Tunisian critic Moncef Ouhaibi who clinched the coveted first place with his research titled “The Structure of Poetic Discourse in Contemporary Arabic Poetry between Allegorical and Metaphorical.”

Moroccan critic Anwar Benaich secured the second place for his study titled “The Structure of Synonymy and Contradiction in Contemporary Arabic Poetry: A Study in Parallel Poetry”.

Moroccan critic Hussein Benbada came in third place for his research titled “The Structure of Discourse in Experimental Arabic Poetry:  Hermeneutic Reading in Contemporary Poetic Works”.

Mohammed Ibrahim Al Qasir, Director of Cultural Affairs at the Sharjah Department of Culture and Secretary General of the Sharjah Award for Arabic Poetry Criticism, said: “By announcing three new winners of its third session, the award is successfully progressing toward establishing a critical landscape for Arabic poetry in line with the directives of His Highness the Ruler of Sharjah.”

Al Qsir emphasised that the award aims to highlight the significance of criticism within the Arab cultural sphere, noting that its impact paves the way for establishing a specialized critical library, citing the substantial volume of submissions received during the third session.

The third edition witnessed a notable Arab participation, garnering 127 critical research papers submitted by participants representing 14 Arab countries: the UAE, Egypt, Morocco, Iraq, Syria, Algeria, Jordan, Tunisia, Yemen, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Mauritania, Palestine, and Sudan.

The award provides cash prizes to the top three winners, with the first-place winner receiving AED100,000, the second winner receiving AED75,000, and the third-place winner earning AED50,000.

The three winners are set to be honoured at the upcoming 20th Sharjah Arabic Poetry Festival scheduled to take place in January 2024.