The Literature, Publishing, and commission, in collaboration with the General Secretariat of the Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf (GCC), is set to organize the 13th edition of the Gulf Poetry Forum 2024. The event will take place from July 5-6 in the province of Taif.
The forum aims to bring together poets, critics, specialists, and enthusiasts from the GCC countries to enhance cultural communication, elevate the values of poetry, and emphasize the importance of Classical Arabic in the region. It seeks to deepen the recognition of poetry’s role and significance in Gulf national culture, identify new poetic voices in each member state, highlight the outstanding ones, and explore the trends and phenomena of contemporary poetry in the member states. Additionally, the forum aims to deepen analytical and critical studies of the Arab poetry movement in the GCC countries.
The forum will feature an opening session, artistic performances, an introductory video about the forum, and an overview of its main agenda, along with multiple poetry evenings.
On its concluding day, the forum will host an intellectual symposium titled “The Poetic Image in Gulf Poetry between Tradition and Modernity,” where participants will discuss issues, concerns, and phenomena of contemporary Arabic poetry in the GCC and the broader Arab world. The symposium will cover the history of the poetic image, its characteristics in Gulf and Arabic poetry, and the depiction of objects and new developments in Gulf poetry from a modern perspective. The day will also include two poetry sessions.
The forum will include an accompanying art exhibition and four pavilions showcasing the contributions of various entities to Arabic poetry and literature, with participation from several related organizations.
The Gulf Poetry Forum is held biennially in one of the member states on a rotational basis. Its organization, scheduling, and invitations are coordinated with the GCC General Secretariat. The forum is dedicated to promoting the art of poetry and its values, featuring poets from across the Gulf region.
