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This came during a meeting between His Excellency Al Rawashdeh; His Excellency Abdullah bin Muhammad Al Owais, Chairman of the Sharjah Department of Culture; and Mr Muhammad Ibrahim Al Qaseer, Director of the Cultural Affairs Department at the Department, marking the launch of the tenth edition of Al Mafraq Arabic Poetry Festival.
Al Rawashdeh congratulated the tenth anniversary of the launch of the Poetry Houses Initiative in the Arab World, emphasising the active cultural presence of the houses across the Arab world and the generous space they have provided for poets and creatives over the past decade.
The Minister of Culture emphasised the importance of cultural cooperation between the Jordanian Ministry of Culture and the Sharjah Department of Culture, which spans decades, producing numerous cultural initiatives, events, and activities. He emphasised that cultural work is crucial in embodying and strengthening relations between the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan and the United Arab Emirates. He noted that the renewed meeting with the Department of Culture, amidst an atmosphere celebrating poetry and its creators, demonstrates genuine support for the cultural movement throughout the Arab world.
At the beginning of his remarks, Al Owais said, "When we come to Jordan, we leave from one house to another, from one country to another, as if the place was one." He noted, in this regard, "When His Highness Sheikh Dr Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah, announced the directives of the pioneering initiative to establish poetry houses in the Arab world, Jordan was the first destination for poetry houses, and the city of Mafraq was the platform from which this enlightening cultural initiative was launched, before expanding across the Arab world, reaching the Atlantic Ocean in Nouakchott."
Al Owais emphasised that Sharjah's initiatives in Jordan are the result of constructive cooperation between the Department of Culture and the Jordanian Ministry of Culture, expressing his appreciation for the efforts made by the Ministry to facilitate this cooperation.
The meeting witnessed an invitation extended by the Chairman of the Department of Culture to the Minister of Culture to organise the Sharjah Narrative Forum in future sessions in the Jordanian capital, Amman.
Minister Al Rawashdeh welcomed the invitation, affirming that Jordan's doors will always remain open to any joint cultural projects with Sharjah.
The Chairman of the Department of Culture in Sharjah presented His Excellency Al Rawashdeh with a copy of the current October issue of Sharjah Cultural Magazine, featuring a design for the Mafraq Arabic Poetry Festival.
Subsequently, under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Dr Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, the tenth edition of the Mafraq Arabic Poetry Festival was launched, organised by the Department of Culture in Sharjah in cooperation with the Jordanian Ministry of Culture. The festival's opening ceremony was held at the National Library in the Jordanian capital, Amman, in the presence of His Excellency Abdullah bin Mohammed Al Owais, Professor Mohammed Ibrahim Al Qaseer, and Director of the National Library, Firas Al Daraba, in addition to Jordanian and Arab intellectuals, writers, academics, and a large number of poetry lovers.
Al Owais delivered a speech in which he recalled the beginnings of the House of Poetry in Mafraq, saying that every beginning has a deep-rooted memory, and Jordan has a special place in cultural memory. From there, the "Houses of Poetry" initiative was launched across the Arab world. The House of Poetry in Mafraq, established in 2015, was the first fruit of this pioneering cultural initiative, launched by His Highness Sheikh Dr Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi.
Al Owais added: "Today, we are pleased to celebrate the launch of the tenth edition of the Mafraq Arabic Poetry Festival in the capital, Amman, as a continuation of the journey of giving that has made the House of Poetry a model in the Arab cultural scene. This is in light of the close cooperation between the Department of Culture in Sharjah and the Jordanian Ministry of Culture, stemming from the solid fraternal relations between the United Arab Emirates and the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, under the patronage of the wise leadership of both countries."
In his speech, Al Owais highlighted the efforts of the House of Poetry and the impact left by the festival, saying: "Since its establishment, the House of Poetry in Mafraq has provided pioneering cultural efforts, and it has not passed Over the past ten years, the festival has not left a clear poetic mark. Renowned poets, alongside young voices, have graced its podium, in a scene that reflects unparalleled creativity. Its cultural season is also replete with distinguished activities, including poetry readings, purposeful critical studies, and the publication of new collections of poetry, affirming its prominent role as a beacon of poetic and cultural creativity in Jordan and the Arab world.
The head of the Department of Culture expressed his sincere thanks and appreciation to the Jordanian Ministry of Culture for its continuous cooperation, which has resulted in the organisation of numerous diverse cultural activities. He conveyed the greetings of His Highness Sheikh Dr Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi and his wishes for success to the festival's participants.
The Director of the National Library, Firas Al Darab'a, delivered the Minister of Culture's speech. He began by welcoming the attendees, saying, "We are proud of the initiative of His Highness Sheikh Dr Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah, to establish poetry houses in the Arab world. This initiative has been warmly welcomed by the Ministry of Culture since its launch. Al Mafraq was the incubator of the first poetry house, out of its belief in the role of the written word in building awareness and consolidating aesthetic and human values in Arab societies."
Al Daraba added in the Minister of Culture's speech that Al Mafraq Arabic Poetry Festival represents a platform for affirming the status of the Arabic language as a vessel for identity and a lever for literature and thought. He highly appreciated the efforts of the Department of Culture in organising this annual poetry event, which has become a cultural landmark in Jordan and the Arab world.
In his speech, Faisal Al Sarhan, Director of the House of Poetry in Mafraq, said: "Here we are, gathered once again at our tenth poetry festival, through our appreciation of honest words and pure letters, and sailing on the waves of our Arabic language, which is on its way to global recognition, thanks to the generous patronage of His Highness Sheikh Dr Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi.”
He added: "The festival celebrates the tenth anniversary of the founding of the House of Poetry, and during this journey, we recall the achievements that have been made in embodying the initiative through which it was launched. I say thank you to Sharjah of arts and sciences."
At the conclusion of the opening ceremony, Al Owais and Al Qaseer, accompanied by Al Daraba, honoured the poets of the first evenings of Al Mafraq Arabic Poetry Festival, presenting them with certificates of appreciation in recognition of their creative efforts and the qualitative literary contribution they made during poetry readings.
The audience watched a documentary on the journey of the House of Poetry in Al Mafraq over a decade. The documentary began with footage of the early beginnings of the establishment of poetry houses. The scenes reviewed the stages of the house's development and its most prominent cultural milestones that have cemented its presence locally and regionally.
As part of the House of Poetry in Al Mafraq's focus on the Arabic language and the art of Arabic calligraphy, The festival's opening ceremony was accompanied by an exhibition of Arabic calligraphy. A group of students presented more than 20 paintings, featuring a variety of styles and fonts, reflecting the beauty of the Arabic script and the students' artistic creativity in employing it. The paintings featured Ruq'ah, Diwani, Naskh, Ta'liq, Thuluth, Jali Thuluth, Kufi, and Mushaf Kufi, among other fonts.
The exhibition also featured a live workshop in which several students participated, creating quotations, verses, and various phrases for the audience. These lent an interactive and aesthetic touch to the first day of Al Mafraq Arabic Poetry Festival.
The festival was accompanied by an exhibition of several publications from the Sharjah Department of Culture, including: Sharjah Cultural Magazine, Al Rafid Magazine, Al Qawafi Magazine, Al Masrah Magazine, and a large number of poetry, novels, critical works, and theatrical works, which witnessed widespread interest.
It is worth noting that Al Mafraq Festival of Arabic Poetry will continue its evenings in the capital, Amman, before moving on to Irbid Governorate in northern Jordan during its final days, making the festival a festival of words and place combined.
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