Khaberni - Under the patronage of Sheikh Khalid bin Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Chairman of the Executive Council of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi, the second edition of the “Abu Dhabi Poetry Festival” was inaugurated on Monday, with events held at the “ADNEC” center in Abu Dhabi until Tuesday, organized by the “Abu Dhabi Heritage Authority".
Sheikh Khalid explored several cultural initiatives and poetic platforms hosted by the festival, notably “Poetry Bridge”, ”Poetic Map of the Emirates”, ”Young Poet’s Corner”, ”Poetic Theater”, and ”Poetic Café”; His Highness also visited the pavilion of the “Abu Dhabi Heritage Authority” and pavilions of various cultural entities participating in the festival, and met with a selection of poets and creatives contributing to enriching the cultural scene, supporting the poetic and literary movement, and enhancing the status of the Arabic language through poetic creations in both Nabati and classical Arabic poetry.
His Highness Sheikh Zayed bin Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan affirmed that the “Abu Dhabi Poetry Festival” embodies Abu Dhabi’s commitment to establishing the importance and stature of culture as a fundamental element of national identity, seeing it as a bridge for civilizational communication between generations; he praised the efforts of cultural entities supporting creative talent initiatives and transmitting national cultural heritage in contemporary ways that keep pace with cultural and knowledge transformations.
The festival demonstrates the emirate's commitment to supporting cultural and creative industries, reinforcing its status as a leading destination in preserving Arab cultural heritage and enhancing its international presence, in addition to nurturing poetic talents and enabling them to contribute to enriching the local and regional cultural landscape through providing a cultural platform that highlights Emirati, Gulf, and Arab poetic experiences, and facilitates the exchange of views and ideas among poets, critics, and culture enthusiasts, thus supporting the enrichment of the literary movement and keeping pace with contemporary intellectual and creative transformations.
The second edition of the “Abu Dhabi Poetry Festival” is part of the cultural movement occurring in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi, within the framework of the “Year of the Family” initiatives, reflecting the role of poetry in enhancing community values and establishing communication between past and present generations through reviving literary heritage and presenting it in contemporary creative ways that highlight the depth of national cultural identity and help cement the stature of culture and literature as a bridge for dialogue among different community groups.
It is worth mentioning that the first edition of the “Abu Dhabi Poetry Festival” saw wide participation from poets from the UAE, the Gulf states, and the Arab world, attracting more than 1000 poets, writers, and researchers, and over 15,000 visitors interested in Arab poetry issues.
During his visit, Abu Dhabi's Crown Prince was accompanied by Sheikh Salem bin Khalid Al Qasimi, Minister of Culture; Fares Khalaf Al Mazrouei, Chairman of Abu Dhabi Heritage Authority; Abdullah Mubarak Al Muhairi, Acting General Manager of Abu Dhabi Heritage Authority; and Dr. Sultan Al Amimi, Chairman of the Emirates Writers and Authors Union.
