Arabic Poetry Forum in Ivory Coast

Celebrating Poetry with Sheikh Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi

The third edition of the Arabic Poetry Forum took place in Abidjan, Ivory Coast, under the patronage of Sheikh Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah. This event is part of an initiative for poetry forums in Africa.

Organized by the Department of Cultural Affairs at the Sharjah Department of Culture in collaboration with the Vision Foundation for Culture and Training, the forum featured the participation of 15 poets. It was held in the conference hall in the Plateau district, in the heart of the capital.

The event was attended by Ali Yousef Al Nuaimi, UAE Ambassador to Ivory Coast; Rana Rizk, representative of the Lebanese embassy in Ivory Coast; Fadiga Moussa, President of Al Furqan University; Mohamed Al Amin, Vice President of the Islamic African University in Ivory Coast; and heads of Arab diplomatic missions, as well as university professors, institutes, and other figures interested in literature, science, and culture.

At the beginning of the event, Bamba Issiaka, General Coordinator of the forum, welcomed the attendees and expressed gratitude to His Highness the Ruler of Sharjah for supporting the Arabic language in Ivory Coast. He highlighted the importance of Arabic as the language of science, knowledge, culture, and Islamic civilization.

Ali Al Nuaimi delivered a speech celebrating the three editions of the forum, emphasizing the rich creative talents in literature and various domains in African countries.

The participants delivered a series of vibrant readings, with poetic themes ranging from national, romantic, and social, to humanitarian. The forum concluded with a speech by the General Coordinator, who praised the participation of the poets, followed by the distribution of awards and certificates to the poets and participants.