Luxor Poetry House marks new chapter in Arab poetry festival

The closing ceremony took place in the open-air theatre at the Luxor Temple Square, attended by His Excellency Abdullah bin Mohammed Al Owais, Chairman of the Sharjah Department of Culture, Mr Mohammed Ibrahim Al Qaseer, Director of Cultural Affairs at the department, Dr Ahmed Mohy Hamza, Dean of the Faculty of Fine Arts at Luxor University, Hussein Al Qabbahi, Director of the Poetry House, and a large audience celebrating poetry and its creators.

Organised by the Sharjah Department of Culture in cooperation with the Egyptian Ministry of Culture, the four-day festival featured the participation of over 140 poets and creators from across the country.

Cultural milestones

In his closing remarks, Dr Ahmed Mohy Hamza praised Sharjah’s cultural role, supported by His Highness Sheikh Dr Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah and lauded the noble initiative of the Poetry Houses, describing them as “landmarks” that establish a vibrant cultural and creative scene in the Arab world.
He highlighted Luxor University’s pride in its cultural partnership with the Luxor Poetry House, emphasising that the collaboration over ten years has nurtured young talent. Dr Hamza also congratulated the Poetry House on its 10th anniversary, noting that a decade of activity demonstrates the success of this pioneering cultural initiative in serving both Egyptian and Arab culture.

Visual arts celebration

The final day opened with Abdullah Al Owais and Mohammed Al Qaseer inaugurating the visual arts exhibition, featuring a selection of artists and students from the Faculty of Fine Arts in Luxor, alongside festival guests and students.

The exhibition displayed over 70 works by more than 70 artists, showcasing their ability to shape ideas through innovative artistic designs. The pieces ranged from painting to metalwork and composite materials, offering diverse visual perspectives and revealing the artists’ skills in using materials to create compositions rich in aesthetic and philosophical meaning.

Al Owais, Al Qaseer, and the attendees toured the exhibition, listening to students explain their techniques, creative processes, and the aesthetic messages behind their works. The visit gave the audience insight into the diverse artistic experiments and the multiple styles represented.

The tour concluded with Al Owais and Al Qaseer, accompanied by Dr Hamza, awarding several students for their achievements in the faculty’s visual arts competition.

Poetry readings along the Nile

Following the exhibition’s opening, Luxor University hosted a poetry evening led by poet Mahmoud Al-Kershabi, where the Poetry House audience and exhibition visitors enjoyed performances by poets Iman Jabal, Abdelmoneim Sharif, Ali Al-Rashidi, Mahmoud Fargali, Mahmoud Abdullah, and Wissam Daraz.

Another reading session took place on the Nile’s banks, featuring poets Ahmed Al-Shahawi, Sofian Salah, Samah Nagih, Abdel-Maqsoud Abdel Karim, Abdel Qader Tarif, Masoud Shoman, and Ahmed Al-Jamali, and was led by poet Shams Mulla.

The open-air theatre hosted the festival’s closing poetry night, with participants including Ahmed Noubi, Khalid Said, Reda Abdel Nabi, Said Qulaei, Suleiman Al-Jabali, Abdel Nasser Al-Mulla, and Ezzat Al-Tayri, under the direction of poet Ahmed Al-Iraqi.

The poems varied between humanistic, national, and emotional themes. Poets explored everyday life, evoked feelings of nostalgia and joy, and conveyed patriotic messages reflecting pride in national identity and history. Emotional works offered intimate glimpses into love and personal experience, forging a vivid connection between poet and audience. This diversity enriched the evenings culturally and artistically, giving attendees the chance to engage with a broad spectrum of poetic expression.

Sharjah’s cultural imprint

 Participating poets praised the role of the Poetry House, noting that over ten years, it has provided a vast platform for creators and turned Luxor into a vibrant stage for Arab voices. Poet Mohamed Arab Saleh remarked that the Poetry House “restored poetry’s place in a city that amazes the world with its history,” and highlighted how the initiative gives young poets confidence and visibility.

Several poets emphasised Sharjah’s broader cultural mission through its Poetry Houses in the Arab world. Poet Al-Duwai Mohammed Al-Duwai noted that the Luxor Poetry House “illuminated Upper Egypt as a centre for cultural work” and created intergenerational bridges through open workshops. Poet Mahmoud Abdullah said the House enriches the poetry scene through creative diversity and extends beyond the stage as a hub for launching multiple cultural initiatives. Poet Abdelmoneim Sharif observed that a decade of consistent work has “created a comprehensive cultural landscape,” making Luxor a key destination for Arab poets.

Poets collectively underscored Sharjah as a hub for Arab intellectuals, providing support that allows creatives to feel part of a pan-Arab and global cultural initiative. Poet Iman Jabal highlighted that the Luxor Poetry House has reshaped the Arab poetic map by uniting diverse voices in a single creative space.