Sharjah Poetry Criticism Award announces fifth-cycle winners

Supporting Arabic poetry and critical studies

The award is held under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Dr Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah, and is organised by the Cultural Affairs Department at the Sharjah Department of Culture. It aims to support Arabic poetry, encourage critical scholarship, and enrich the Arab creative and intellectual scene.

Winners announced

First place was awarded to Mehrez Ben Mohsen Rachdi from Tunisia for his study “Discursive patterns in modern Arabic poetry: foundational issues and applied practices”. Second place went to Al Mahdi Al Aaraj from Morocco for “The pattern of poetic experience in contemporary Arabic poetry between the argument of renewal and the division of models”. Third place was awarded to Al Hassan Mohammed Mahmoud from Mauritania for “Patterned spaces in the contemporary Arabic poem: a structural study”.

Growing regional and international participation

Mohammed Ibrahim Al Qaseer, Director of Cultural Affairs and Secretary-General of the Award, noted that since its launch in 2020, the award has played a key role in promoting comprehensive critical approaches to Arabic poetry. He added that the current cycle received more than 180 research papers from several Arab countries, as well as first-time submissions from countries including Gambia, Mali, Guinea, India and the United States, reflecting the award’s expanding reach and international standing.

Rigorous evaluation process

All submissions underwent an initial screening before being assessed by a panel of five specialised critics and academics, who selected the top three winners based on agreed scholarly and critical criteria.