Sharjah 24: Under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Dr Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Member of the Supreme Council and Ruler of Sharjah, and as part of the initiative for poetry forums in Africa, the Republic of Ivory Coast witnessed the launch of the third edition of the Arabic Poetry Forum.
The event was organised by the Department of Cultural Affairs at the Sharjah Department of Culture in collaboration with the Vision Foundation for Culture and Training in the capital, Abidjan, and featured the participation of 15 poets.
The forum was held in the conference hall in the Plateau district, in the heart of the capital, and was attended by His Excellency Ali Yousef Al Nuaimi, UAE Ambassador to Ivory Coast; Rana Rizk, representative of the Lebanese embassy in Ivory Coast; Dr. Fadiga Moussa, President of Al Furqan University; Dr. Mohamed Al Amin, Vice President of the Islamic African University in Ivory Coast; and heads of Arab diplomatic missions, as well as university professors, institutes, and other figures interested in literature, science, and culture.
At the beginning of the event, Dr. Bamba Issiaka, the general coordinator of the forum, welcomed the attendees, saying: "We welcome you to this joyful event that has come to us from Sharjah, the capital of Arabic poetry. In this context, we extend our thanks and appreciation to His Highness the Ruler of Sharjah for providing support and care for the Arabic language in Ivory Coast. It is the language of science, knowledge, culture, and Islamic civilisation, and most manuscripts in Africa have been written in it."
His Excellency Ali Al Nuaimi delivered a speech in which he said: "Three editions of enjoying poetry, impactful words, imagination, and metaphors in these African countries, which are rich in creative talents in literature and in various domains."
Al Nuaimi added: "Through this cultural encounter, which strengthens the strong ties between the UAE and the Republic of Ivory Coast, His Highness Sheikh Dr Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Member of the Supreme Council and Ruler of Sharjah, wanted Arabic poetry to regain its presence and shine. He directed the launch of the poetry forums in Africa to keep the radiance of the Arabic language and its poetry shining in these countries."
He continued, "From my presence at the previous two editions, I have witnessed the creativity of young poets, who have drawn from the wellsprings of the alphabet and the secrets and charms of eloquence, taking us to the realms of Arabic poetry and its beauty."
The creative participants delivered a series of vibrant readings, with poetic themes ranging from national, romantic, social, to humanitarian. The poems were crafted with literary vision that reflected their strong command of language, while also revealing vivid imagery rooted in memory. Some of the poems leaned towards exploring questions of the self and its sufferings.
The forum concluded with a speech by the general coordinator, who praised the participation of the poets, followed by the distribution of awards and certificates to the poets and participants in the forum.
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