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The closing ceremony took place at the Iklyl Cultural Centre in Tetouan, attended by Professor Mohammed Ibrahim Al , Director of Cultural Affairs at the Sharjah Department of Culture; Rachid Al Mustafa, Head of Cooperation in the Culture Sector at the Moroccan Ministry of Youth, Culture, and Communication; Dr Youssef Al Fahri, President of the Higher School of Teachers in Martil; Mukhlis Al Saghir, Director of the House of Poetry in Tetouan; and a large number of writers, intellectuals, and university students. More than 50 creative individuals, including poets, intellectuals, artists, and critics, participated in the festival, amidst a remarkable poetic presence that reflected an interest in the written word and its creators.
The seventh edition of the poetry writing workshop, organised by the House of Poetry in Tetouan in collaboration with the Faculty of Arabic Language at the Higher Teacher Training School in Martil, culminated in the graduation of more than 80 students.
This year's festival also saw the awarding of prizes to 18 students in the "Regional Competition for Pioneers of the Arabic Language," organidsed by the House of Poetry in Tetouan in partnership with several secondary and preparatory schools.
On its second day, the festival featured a symposium entitled "Andalusian Poetry: Reference and Horizon," held at the Higher Teacher Training School in the coastal city of Martil. Speakers included Dr Najib Al-Jabari and Dr Fatima Tahtah, presented by Dr Youssef Al-Fahri.
The symposium focused on the features of the Andalusian poetic experience as one of the most important aesthetic references in Arabic and Islamic poetry, due to its unique artistic and historical characteristics that contributed to shaping a distinctive poetic sensibility.
In her presentation, Dr Fatima argued that Andalusian poetry revolves at its core around loss, with its connotations of longing and alienation. She emphasised that this profound sense of absence formed a recurring semantic structure in many Andalusian texts, giving them a unique human character.
Dr Najib Al-Jabari presented a reading of Andalusian poetic texts by invoking numerous examples, highlighting the diversity of their aesthetic structures and the richness of their artistic imagery. He also noted their openness to nature and the self, as well as their ability to produce multiple levels of meaning and interpretation, making them vibrant texts open to reinterpretation within contemporary critical contexts. The symposium was followed by a poetry session featuring a group of poets. They presented poems whose themes ranged from the emotional and patriotic to the humanitarian, and featured the participation of: Abdelatif El Ouarrari, Youssef Rguibi, Omar Benlahcen, Khadija Amjoud, and Mohamed Amine Fadil, with Fatima Zahra Benis introducing them.
At the end of the event, Mohamed El Qasir presented certificates of appreciation to the students participating in the poetry workshops at the House of Poetry in Tetouan, encouraging their creative and academic efforts in the workshops.
The second day of the festival continued with the opening of an art exhibition entitled "Poetic Paintings" at the Iklyl Cultural Centre in Tetouan. A selection of Moroccan visual artists participated, presenting works characterised by a striking visual style that reflected the depth of their artistic experiences and the diversity of their expressive styles.
Mohamed El Qasir, Rachid El Mostafa, and the attendees toured the exhibition, pausing at the most prominent works on display, exploring their artistic details and the diverse artistic visions they conveyed. During the exhibition, the artists explained the themes of their works. Their works and techniques were presented to the audience, explaining the aesthetic and intellectual backgrounds that inspired their paintings.
On the second day, the poets Aziz Azghay, Umm al-Fadl Ma' al-'Aynayn, Abdullah Siddiq, Hamza Ibn Muhammad al-Fattouh, Jamal Amash, Jamila Shakir, and Jamal Najib participated, with Najib Khadari moderating.
On the final day, the poetry readings continued with a session held at the Abdul Khaliq al-Taris Cultural Centre. The session featured Fatima Zahra Benis, Fatima Farkal, and Fatima Zahra, and was introduced by the poet Fatima Fizazi.
In a humanitarian gesture, the House of Poetry in Tetouan continues its support for blind poets. This year, it celebrated the publication of the poetry collection "Inspired by Insight," the culmination of poetry writing workshops held for students of the Taha Hussein Regional Institute for the Blind.
This publication is the fruit of an experience A collective creative endeavor showcased the participants' high level of poetic sensibility and ability to transform visual experience into vivid, imaginative, and emotionally resonant linguistic images. Their texts reflected a remarkable expressive power and an inner vision that transcends boundaries, reaching into the realm of creativity.
An evening event was also held on the same day, featuring poets Qais bin Yahya, Malika Boutaleb, Mohamed Allout, Hamza Al-Amri, and Aziz Amhajour, along with a performance by poet Bouazza Al-Sanaawi.
Poets participating in the Tetouan Festival of Moroccan Poets affirmed that the festival has become a landmark in the Moroccan cultural landscape, a platform that celebrates Moroccan poetry and opens spaces for dialogue and exchange among creative individuals.
They noted that the House of Poetry in Tetouan, under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Dr Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah, has strengthened the presence of poetry in cultural life, contributed to supporting emerging creative talents, and solidified bridges of cultural communication between Morocco and the Arab world.
In this context, poet Hamza Ibn said: "Thanks to Sharjah's patronage, the festival has accumulated years of experience and dedication, establishing itself as a rich event that brings together Moroccan poetic experiences from all backgrounds and national and living languages. It connects different generations, providing them with an opportunity for interaction. Tetouan, a school of Moroccan poetry, is distinguished by its openness to world poetry, both in creation and translation, through its great pioneers. By hosting this festival, it has become a landmark in our Moroccan poetic landscape."
Poet Jamal Amash said: "The festival has solidified its presence as a cultural event that brings together Moroccan poetic voices with their diverse experiences and orientations. The festival was distinguished by the participation of poets from various regions of Morocco, reflecting the diversity and linguistic and aesthetic richness of Moroccan poetry through the multiplicity of voices, styles, dialects, and poetic visions." He added: "This diversity stems from the cultural vision adopted by the House of Poetry in Tetouan, which is based on openness to various Moroccan poetic expressions and providing a platform for experiences from multiple generations. This strengthens cultural dialogue and reinforces the presence of poetry in the public sphere. The festival's activities began with a moving moment that embodied the spirit of celebrating poetry and the written word, and affirmed the prominent position this cultural event has attained within the Moroccan and Arab creative landscape."
Regarding his participation, poet Youssef Rguibi said: "My participation in the Moroccan Poets Festival in Tetouan is a unique experience with its own distinct flavour. It has brought me closer to the beauty of words and the spirit of creativity. The House of Poetry in Tetouan remains a cultural space that instills love and passion for language in the hearts of poets, writers, and intellectuals. I also extend my sincere thanks to the Sharjah Department of Culture for its continuous support of creativity. Congratulations to us on this wonderful cultural event, and to the House of Poetry and its entire team for their organisation. My thanks to them all for this contribution, which befits the stature of poetry and culture." Poet Omar Benlahcen believes that the Moroccan Poets Festival in Tetouan represents a sophisticated creative bridge and a valuable addition to the Moroccan poetry scene, adding, "Through it, generations of Moroccan poets from all its diverse backgrounds converge."
He further stated, "The convening of this festival in its seventh edition, coinciding with the tenth anniversary of the founding of the House of Poetry in Tetouan, underscores the pioneering role that the White Dove (Tetouan) has come to play in strengthening the bonds of cultural and intellectual cooperation between the Ministry of Youth, Culture and Communication of the Kingdom of Morocco and the Department of Culture of the Government of Sharjah."
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