In a speech read on his behalf at the opening ceremony of this event, organized by the House of Poetry of Tetouan, under the High Patronage of HM King Mohammed VI, the Minister of Youth, Culture and Communication praised the depth of the partnership between the ministry and the Department of Culture in the government of Sharjah, which is confirmed by the work of the House of Poetry and the programs it offers.
For his part, the Head of the Sharjah Department of Culture, Abdullah Al Owais, affirmed that the House of Poetry in Tetouan is committed to radiating the beauty of poetry throughout the year, which was made possible thanks to the sincere efforts and exemplary cooperation between the Sharjah Department of Culture and the Ministry of Youth, Culture and Communication, stressing that this collaboration reflects the depth of the fraternal relations between the United Arab Emirates and the Kingdom of Morocco, under the far-sighted leadership of the leaders of the two countries.
This ceremony was marked by a vibrant tribute to the poet and former Minister of Culture and Communication, Mohammed Achaâri, who received the White Dove trophy.
On this occasion, Mr. Achaâri affirmed that “this tribute is a recognition of our right to life and emancipation”, noting that the language of poetry is a vital link with linguistic and emotional diversity, from the ocean to the Gulf, and a poetic heritage anchored in the first poems and the voices of innovators and liberators of the imagination.
The festival administration has thus revealed the names of the winners of the Prize for the first collection of poetry for young poets. The jury of this competition is chaired by the poet Yassine Adnane and composed of the poets Khadija Saïdi and Mohammed Aziz Al Husseini.
In this regard, Mr. Adnane stressed that the members of the jury made sure to present “works that bring hope for a future Moroccan poetry, and collections promising to continue the journey of Moroccan poetry, which continues to renew and diversify itself thanks to its creators, across generations and eras.”
The first prize was awarded to the young poet Abdessamad Ajouaou for his collection “Stars for me and you”, while the 2nd and 3rd prizes went to the poet Mohammed Achraf Chaoui for his collection “On the margin, I throw my face”, and to the young poet Leila El Khamlichi for her collection “The woman in the purple coat”.
The jury’s special mention was awarded to the young poet Ayoub Daoud for his collection “Lost in the Darkness of Horrors” and to the poet Salman Al-Hassani for his collection “The Last Thing Said by Sindibad”.
The evening ended with a musical performance by Lebanese artist Jahida Wehbe, accompanied by the Ibdaa Orchestra of Arabic Music, conducted by Elias Al-Husseini, followed by the presentation of the play “Jaw Jab” by the National Theater troupe.
