Abu Dhabi Heritage Authority to reveal final 20 poets for live episodes of Prince of Poets

The TV programme held biennially at the Al Raha Beach Theatre, stands as one of the largest platforms dedicated to discovering and nurturing poetic talent.

The Prince of Poets programme committee has concluded the evaluation process for its eleventh season, carefully reviewing and assessing submissions. From a vast pool of entries, 150 poets have been shortlisted and met the jury at the Al Raha Beach Theatre in Abu Dhabi from 28 to 30 October 2024. During this stage, the committee narrowed down the contestants through a series of competitive tests, ultimately selecting the final 20 poets who will advance to the live episodes in December 2024.

This season, the number of applicants for the Prince of Poets programme exceeded 1,000 poets from 33 countries, marking the largest diversity of nationalities in the competition's history. This milestone reflects the programme's expanding global reach and its growing influence in promoting Arabic poetry across various continents. The wide geographic representation underscores the competition's role in enhancing the presence of Arabic verse on the international stage.

This year's edition welcomed submissions from poets hailing from 14 non-Arab countries, indicating a growing trend of international participation. Previous seasons have featured poets from countries such as India, the US, Burkina Faso, Senegal, Mali and Nigeria.

In its 10th season, the competition marked a historic milestone as the first female poet claimed the title of Prince of Poets in the history of the most prestigious and largest poetry programme in the Arab world. Over the 10 seasons, a total of 53 poets reached the top ranks, with female participants comprising a substantial 60 poets, representing approximately 24 per cent of the total entries.

Over the course of 10 consecutive seasons, Prince of Poets has showcased 245 poets representing 25 countries. (ANI/WAM)