Sharjah Arab poetry festival concludes in Kalba

Poets from across the Arab world

The evening brought together Rashid Mohammed Rashid Al Zaabi, Director of the Eastern Region at the Department of Culture, and Mohammed Abdullah Al Breiki, Director of the Sharjah Poetry House, alongside a large audience of writers, poets, media professionals, and lovers of Arabic poetry. Participating poets included Hassan Al Najjar (UAE), Abdullah Abdel Sabour (Egypt), Dr Omar Al Raji (Morocco), Talal Salem (UAE), Khalid Al Hasan (Iraq), and Najat Al Dhaheri (UAE). The session was hosted by Iraqi poet Ghassan Adel.

Highlights from the readings

Hassan Al Najjar opened with A Simple Sadness, a quiet, heartfelt poem exploring subtle human grief. Abdullah Abdel Sabour followed with Who Are You?, reflecting on identity in fragmented times. Dr Omar Al Raji’s Like a Caravan That Slept employed the caravan as a metaphor for collective disorientation, while Talal Salem’s I Believed in the Face of Absence, My Dust highlighted faith in the poetic word. Khalid Al Hasan presented sharp and profound verses in This, and the Placenta Separates, exploring a wounded city and human struggles. Najat Al Dhaheri concluded with several poems, including Like All the Poor… I May Not Sleep, celebrating humanity, small details, and the quiet power of hope.

Honouring the poets

Sheikh Haitham bin Saqr Al Qasimi honoured the participating poets and the session host at the end of the evening, marking a fitting close to a festival that continues to champion poetry as an essential cultural and intellectual space.