His Highness Dr. Sheikh Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah, has directed the Sharjah Department of Culture to organize the third edition of Arab Poetry Forums in nine African countries, including Chad, Mali, Ivory Coast, Benin, Nigeria, Guinea, Senegal, South Sudan, and Niger.

Preparations in these nine African nations are complete to welcome the third edition of the Arab Poetry Forums. The events will commence in Chad later this month and continue sequentially in other countries, concluding in Niger in October this year.

The Department of Culture has worked closely with these African nations over the past months to ensure a well-organized tour, presenting the forums in the best organizational and cultural light.

Mohammed Ibrahim Al Qasir, Director of Cultural Affairs at the Department of Culture, highlighted that the directives of the Sharjah Ruler aim to promote Arabic language and literature in Africa. His Highness Dr. Sheikh Sultan places significant cultural importance on Arab and Islamic heritage in many African countries, considering it a cornerstone of Sharjah’s cultural initiatives.

Al Qasir added that the Cultural Affairs Department will embark on the implementation of the third phase of this initiative, organising poetry forums in Guinea, Nigeria, Senegal, Chad, Niger, Mali, South Sudan, Benin, and Ivory Coast in compliance with the determined time schedule throughout 2024.

Al Qasir stated that the poetry forums in Africa offer substantial support for the Arabic language. The previous two editions featured 18 poetry gatherings across Africa, involving over 200 poets and poetesses and attracting overwhelming official and public participation. In recent years, poetry houses in Arab countries have provided platforms for African poets through various poetry evenings and festivals.

The poetry forums held in Africa brought together 114 poets and poetesses in the first edition and over 120 creative poets in the second one. They have become vibrant cultural arenas aimed at boosting the presence of the Arabic language in these regions. These gatherings represent new poetic landscapes that significantly enrich Arabic literature.

The poetry events are the result of collaboration between the Department of Culture and local cultural institutions in the host countries, combining efforts to ensure professional and well organization of distinguished poetry events. During the inaugural edition, several African countries hosted Arab poetry forums for the first time, marking significant milestones in their cultural history.