In a significant move to foster literary talent across the Gulf region, Dr. Eissa Saleh Al Hammadi, the Director of the Arab Language Educational Centre for the Gulf States, announced the details of the second edition of the poetry, story, and novel competition during a press conference held today at the Centre’s headquarters in Sharjah’s university city. The event is set to take place from the 6th to 8th of October, featuring 17 talented students who will compete in the realms of poetry, storytelling, and novel writing.
Dr. Al Hammadi revealed that the participants will include six students competing in poetry, six in storytelling, and five in novel writing. These hopefuls have successfully progressed from the initial stage of the competition, which was conducted at the national level in their respective countries, to the second stage, which will be hosted in Sharjah on a regional scale.
The competition unfolds in two distinct phases. The first stage encompasses preparation and testing within individual countries, where students are evaluated and nominated for further participation. The second stage gathers the selected candidates in Sharjah, where their works will be assessed and they will undergo oral interviews regarding their literary contributions.
The assessment of student works and the corresponding interviews are scheduled to commence on Wednesday, 7th October, culminating in a celebratory finale on Thursday, 8th October. During the closing ceremony, held at the Centre in Sharjah, participants will be recognised and celebrated for their achievements. Dr. Al Hammadi emphasised that the primary aims of the competition are to strengthen students’ loyalty and attachment to the Arabic language, discover emerging talents and creators in linguistic production, and provide a platform for communication, networking, and the exchange of ideas and experiences among participants.