The ninth edition of the Kairouan Festival for Arabic Poetry was recently launched in Carthage, Tunis, under the patronage of His Highness Dr. Sheikh Sultan Bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah. The event, organized by Sharjah’s Department of Culture in collaboration with Tunisia’s Ministry of Cultural Affairs, took place over three days and attracted a diverse group of poets, intellectuals, and critics from Tunisia, Libya, and Algeria.
The opening ceremony was held at the House of Wisdom in Carthage, with prominent figures in attendance, including Abdullah Bin Mohammed Al Owais, Chairman of the Department of Culture in Sharjah, and Mohammed Ibrahim Al Qaseer, Director of the Department of Cultural Affairs. Dr. Khaled Kashir, Director-General of the National Library and representative of Tunisia’s Minister of Cultural Affairs, Amina Srarfi, also attended, along with Hala Al Wartani, Director of the House of Wisdom. The event, which received coverage from both local and Arab media, was also joined by writers, academics, and poetry enthusiasts.
The ceremony began with the unveiling of an exhibition featuring publications from the Department of Culture in Sharjah and the House of Poetry in Kairouan. Among the displayed works were Sharjah Cultural Magazine, Al Rafid Magazine, Al Qawafi Magazine, Al Masrah Magazine, and several poetry publications by Tunisian poets.
Mohammed Al Qaseer opened the festival by stating, “Kairouan brings us together today for the poetic word. This event reflects Sharjah’s ongoing cultural initiatives and underscores the strong ties between the UAE and Tunisia.” He also congratulated the House of Poetry on its tenth anniversary and thanked the Ministry of Cultural Affairs for its partnership in making the House of Poetry festivals a success.
Khaled Al-Kasher, representing the Ministry of Cultural Affairs, spoke about the enduring tradition of poetry, drawing parallels with the Mu’allaqat and the ‘Ukaziyat gatherings. He acknowledged Dr. Sheikh Sultan Bin Mohammed Al Qasimi for supporting the preservation of this long-standing cultural practice. Al-Kasher emphasized the continued relevance of poetry in the Arab world, despite modern communication technologies, and praised the festival’s role in strengthening cultural connections through poetic creativity.
Jamila Al Majri, Director of the House of Poetry in Kairouan, expressed gratitude to the Ruler of Sharjah for his role in establishing houses of poetry across the Arab world. She highlighted the House’s achievements, noting it had welcomed over 1,000 poets. Al Majri also mentioned the House’s efforts to publish works from emerging poets and provide education in prosody, as well as print poetry collections in partnership with the Department of Culture.
In keeping with tradition, the festival featured poetry readings from poets representing various Arab countries. The audience also watched a video capturing key moments from the House of Poetry in Kairouan throughout the year, showcasing the vibrant activities of 2024, including seminars, dialogues, and artistic performances.
