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The opening ceremony was held in the "Mayadeen" Hall in the heart of Marrakech, in the presence of His Excellency Abdullah bin Muhammad Al Owais, Chairman of the Sharjah Department of Culture; Muhammad Ibrahim Al Qaseer, Director of the Cultural Affairs Department at the Department of Culture; Samir Al Wanassi, Regional Director of Cultural Affairs at the Regional Directorate of the Culture Sector - Marrakech-Safi, representing His Excellency Dr Mohammed Al Mahdi bin Saeed, Moroccan Minister of Youth, Culture, and Communication; Rachid Al Mustafa, Head of the Cooperation Department at the Ministry of Culture, Youth, and Communication; and a large number of writers, intellectuals, and lovers of the word.
The opening ceremony also featured a documentary presentation that offered a glimpse into the most prominent activities of the eighth season of the House of Poetry program in Marrakech, reviewing the House's history and the cultural and artistic events it featured throughout the year.
The presentation included diverse scenes that embodied the cultural movement witnessed by the House, from poetry evenings, meetings, intellectual seminars, and art exhibitions, to literary workshops targeting various audiences. This reflects the House of Poetry's active presence in the Moroccan cultural scene and its role in consolidating the culture of poetry and celebrating creative individuals.
Abdullah Al Owais delivered a speech in which he began: "We are pleased to meet again in the ancient city of Marrakech, the city of civilisation and beauty, to celebrate the enlightening poetic word that unites our conscience, a word that flourishes in the spaces of this festival."
Al Owais emphasised the importance of cultural cooperation and its effective outcomes in strengthening relations and opening the door to creativity. He said in this regard: “This blessed meeting is nothing but the fruit of cultural cooperation and an expression of the fraternal relations between the United Arab Emirates and the Kingdom of Morocco, which are strengthened thanks to the wisdom of the wise leadership in both countries. We are also very proud to organise this festival in partnership with the Moroccan Ministry of Youth, Culture and Communication and the House of Poetry in Marrakech, affirming that poetry is a humanitarian message and a beautiful art that expresses the conscience of the nation, preserves its memory, and opens its horizons to the future. We believe that such joint initiatives contribute to strengthening fraternal relations between our two brotherly countries and open the way for new generations of poets and creatives to express their visions and dreams in a single literary space, united by the love of the word and the spirit of creativity.” The Chairman of the Department of Culture conveyed the greetings of His Highness the Ruler of Sharjah, saying, "I am honoured, on this occasion, to convey to you the greetings of His Highness Sheikh Dr Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah, and his wishes for your success and prosperity."
For his part, Samir Al Wanassi delivered a speech on behalf of His Excellency Mohammed Al Mahdi bin Saeed, commending the cultural initiatives of His Highness Sheikh Dr Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah, and praising the creative cooperation between the Department of Culture in Sharjah and the Moroccan Ministry of Youth, Culture and Communication.
In a speech by the Moroccan Minister of Culture, he said: "We are pleased to inaugurate today a new session of this festival, the culmination of eight years of continuous cultural and poetic influence that has extended to various regions of the Kingdom of Morocco. Indeed, we are pleased that the meetings of this house have extended to the inner Morocco, in a significant expression of the consolidation of the culture of proximity and the dynamic vision of cultural work. Today, we appreciate the great effort undertaken by the House of Poetry in Marrakech, in its various cultural activities and programmes, which have resulted in basic infrastructure throughout the Kingdom." Speaking about the festival, the regional director, Mahdi, said, "The Moroccan Poetry Festival continues its journey of brilliance and celebration of the experiences and generations of Moroccan poetry. It validates the concept of establishing the House of Poetry in Marrakech, which has become a pioneering cultural institution with its deep involvement in renewing cultural management mechanisms and its focus on diversifying its programmes and target groups. Perhaps the nursery for children and youth, which it sponsors through its workshops and awards, expresses this shared will between the Department of Culture and the Ministry, serving the system in reconnecting culture with development."
He pointed out that the festival serves to reinforce the position that Marrakech has come to hold with its cultural weight, not only as a global tourist destination, but also as a meeting place for cultures and dialogue.
The festival's first evening featured distinguished international poetry diversity. Moroccan poet Thuraya Waqas, Chinese poet Liu Jinzi, and Nigerian poet Adeyemi Hamid Adekunle presented exceptional poetry readings, embodying the convergence of cultures and the diversity of artistic visions. The audience interacted with the poetry, which resonated deeply with the audience, affirming the civilizational role of poetry as a bridge connecting peoples and celebrating global human creativity.
As part of the House's initiative to celebrate Moroccan literary figures, the House of Poetry in Marrakech honored poets Mohammed Boujbiri, Ali Shohad, and Aziza Akida in this edition, in recognition of their literary contributions and in appreciation of their intellectual efforts and contributions to the Moroccan poetry scene over the years.
Poetry House in Marrakech announced, during the opening ceremony, the names of the winners of the seventh edition of the "Poetry Criticism" and "Best Poem" awards. These awards are part of the House's programmes aimed at supporting new poetic and critical experiences, encouraging young talents, and promoting their creative output.
The results of the two awards were as follows: Best Poem Award, won by: Poet Idembe Hamid Idekbele from Nigeria, ranked first, Muadh bin Al Talib took second place, and Dhafira and Hadith took third place.
The Poetry Criticism Award was awarded to Abdul Rahman Asahli in first place, Khaled Qadrouz in second place, and the third place went to critics Ibrahim Al Bouabdellaoui and Mohammed Taishnit.
At the conclusion of the ceremony, His Excellency Abdullah Al Owais and Mohammed Al Qasir, accompanied by Al Wanasi, honoured the honored poets and winners of the two awards, celebrating their distinguished contributions and creativity.
The opening ceremony featured a special celebration of China, the guest of honour of the seventh edition of the festival, with the participation of Chinese poet Liu Jinzi in the first evening of the festival. Liu Jinzi is a poet and member of the Chinese Writers Association. She has published more than fifty diverse works, including poetry, novels, plays, and lyrical texts, in addition to musical works. Bai Xue, a PhD student in Arabic literature at the Faculty of Arts and Humanities at Hassan II University in Casablanca, accompanied her in the translation into Arabic. In Morocco, she devoted herself to studying Arabic literature, poetic imagery, and its symbols within a comparative framework, with a special focus on the manifestations of the moon in Arabic and Chinese poetry and the rhetorical and symbolic connotations it carries.
At the conclusion of the first day, artist and musician Abdelwahab Doukkali, accompanied by the Asil Music Band of Marrakech, headed by artist Ezzedine Diani, gave an exceptional concert during which he performed some of the most important songs of this pioneering artist. A large audience attended, interacting with every musical passage and singing along, in an atmosphere filled with nostalgia and authentic musical creativity.
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