The Literature, Publishing, and Translation Commission unveiled today a television competition for Arabic poetry titled “Mu’allaqa 45” as part of the programs and activities of “The Year of Arabic Poetry 2023” initiative.
This competition will be broadcast on the Saudi Thaqafiya Channel and will showcase a distinguished array of poets from both the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Arab world. This initiative seeks to revive the tradition of poetic “Mu’allaqat” (hanging poems) from the heartland of the Arabian Peninsula. This land nurtured the imaginations of its poets and played a pivotal role in shaping their literary heritage.
The “Mu’allaqa 45” competition is considered the first of its kind, an annual poetry competition that brings together major cultural institutions in the Arab world. The competition will be held annually, aligning with the Islamic calendar years, to commemorate the historical “Mu’allaqat.”
A total of 36 participating poets will compete in the competition to create a new timeless poem each year. The winning poems will be displayed prominently across various locations in Riyadh during annual cultural ceremonies that will be documented. The Saudi Thaqafiya Channel, in collaboration with the Literature, Publishing, and Translation Commission, will honour these poems through its programs and events.
The competition is divided into three main categories: metered verse, folk poetry, and free verse. Financial prizes will be awarded to three winners, with the first-place winner receiving SAR1,000,000, and their poems prominently displayed at a distinguished location in Riyadh. The second-place winner will receive SAR500,000, and the third-place winner will receive SAR250,000.
Additionally, every contestant who qualifies to participate in the competition will receive a financial reward of SAR50,000 and a special invitation to attend the annual poets’ dinner in honour of Minister of Culture Prince Badr bin Abdullah bin Farhan.
Poets interested in participating can submit their works at https://engage.moc.gov.sa/m45.
Source: Saudi Press Agency