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Poetry Builds Bridges Between Cultures

DUBAI - His Highness Shaikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, on Wednesday, inaugurated the Dubai International Poetry Festival 2009, an initiative of the Mohammed bin Rashid Al 
Maktoum Foundation.

The ceremony, held at Dubai World Trade Centre, was attended by Shaikh Majid bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Chairman of the Dubai Culture and Arts Authority, Shaikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, President of the Dubai Civil Aviation Authority and Chairman and CEO of Emirates Group, senior government officials, dignitaries, more than 100 poets and writers from 45 countries and poetry lovers.

In the keynote speech, Jamal Khalfan bin Huwaireb, head of the Organising Committee of the festival, said since the beginning of human civilisation, poetry has always been a mode of exchanging the highest ideals and building a common language between
different cultures and people.

“Throughout history, poets have carried the responsibility of passing on the flame of wisdom to the next generation, and this festival personifies the noble sentiment of carrying forward our highest ideals. Poetry is among the most evolved arts and the strongest bridge between cultures. We believe that poetry can correct what politics has damaged,” he said, noting that the festival is set to host 1,000 poets within five years, in line with its theme - ‘A Thousand Poets - One Language’.

Khalfan bin Huwaireb invited poets to use the platform of the festival to learn more about the contributions of stalwarts in Arabic poetry such as Ahmed bin Sulayem, Sultan Owais and Hamad Bushhab who are no more but remain alive through their works.

He urged aspiring poets to imbibe the rich poetry of pioneers such as Ismail Abu Al Atahiyah and Abi Nawas who will be remembered during the
seven-day event.

Following a short documentary on the historical origin and evolution of poetry in the Arab world, famous South African poet Breyten Breytenbach delivered a speech commending the foundation’s initiative to host the festival as a necessary step towards bringing cultures and nations closer, where people speak the same language of sincerity and truth, even if through different dialects.

Hailing the festival’s tribute to his father - the late popular Tunisian poet Abu Al Qassim Al Shabi - Mohammed Al Shabi said he was keen to attend the festival though he moves on a wheelchair. “I wanted to recall the enthralling moments I used to feel when my father recited poems,” he said.

On the sidelines of the function, Emirati businessman Juma Al Majed told Khaleej Times that the real crisis of faced by Arab nations is of cultural rather than economic nature.

“The Arab countries need to wake up and work hand in hand. Leaders and peoples together can do wonders and overcome all crises, by they cultural
or economic.

“That is why Shaikh Mohammed has found it very timely to lunch such a festival where cultural knowledge and experiences are exchanged via poetry across the world,” he said.

ahmedshaaban@khaleejtimes.com