Sharjah Department of Culture concludes 10th Luxor Arab Poetry Festival

The Sharjah Department of Culture wrapped up the 10th Luxor Arab Poetry Festival. Held under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah, the festival added a new chapter to the story of the “Diwan of the Arabs.”

The closing ceremony took place in the open-air theatre at the Luxor Temple Square, attended by Abdullah bin Mohammed Al Owais, Chairman of the Sharjah Department of Culture; Mohammed Ibrahim Al Qaseer, Director of Cultural Affairs at the department; Dr. Ahmed Mohy Hamza, Dean of the Faculty of Fine Arts at Luxor University, Hussein Al Qabbahi, Director of the Poetry House, and a large audience celebrating poetry and its creators.

Organised by the Sharjah Department of Culture in cooperation with the Egyptian Ministry of Culture, the four-day festival featured the participation of over 140 poets and creators from across the country.

In his closing remarks, Dr. Hamza praised Sharjah’s cultural role, supported by H.H. Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi and lauded the noble initiative of the Poetry Houses, describing them as “landmarks” that establish a vibrant cultural and creative scene in the Arab world.

He highlighted Luxor University’s pride in its cultural partnership with the Luxor Poetry House, emphasising that the collaboration over ten years has nurtured young talent.

Dr. Hamza also congratulated the Poetry House on its 10th anniversary, noting that a decade of activity demonstrates the success of this pioneering cultural initiative in serving both Egyptian and Arab culture.

The final day opened with Al Owais and Al Qaseer inaugurating the visual arts exhibition, featuring a selection of artists and students from the Faculty of Fine Arts in Luxor, alongside festival guests and students.

The exhibition displayed over 70 works by more than 70 artists, showcasing their ability to shape ideas through innovative artistic designs. The pieces ranged from painting to metalwork and composite materials, offering diverse visual perspectives and revealing the artists’ skills in using materials to create compositions rich in aesthetic and philosophical meaning.

Al Owais, Al Qaseer, and the attendees toured the exhibition, listening to students explain their techniques, creative processes, and the aesthetic messages behind their works. The visit gave the audience insight into the diverse artistic experiments and the multiple styles represented.

The tour concluded with Al Owais and Al Qaseer, accompanied by Dr. Hamza, awarding several students for their achievements in the faculty’s visual arts competition.

Following the exhibition’s opening, Luxor University hosted a poetry evening with poems that varied between humanistic, national, and emotional themes.

Story by WAM