DAKAR, Senegal, 29th July, 2024 (WAM) -- The Republic of Senegal hosted the third edition of the Arab Poetry Forum, which is organised by the Department of Culture in Sharjah in collaboration with the Senegal Literary Club, and the participation of 13 poets.

The forum is held under the patronage of H.H. Dr. Sheikh Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah, and is part of the Poetry Forums Initiative in Africa.

The forum was held in the capital, Dakar, and attended by Dr. Fadel Ghay, President of the Senegal Literary Club, representatives from Senegalese cultural and literary institutions, as well as poets and writers.

Mohammed Al Hadi Sal, the forum's coordinator, delivered a speech thanking the Ruler of Sharjah for his continuous support of Arab culture and poetry. He noted that the Arab Poetry Forum in Senegal has become a vital platform for the creativity of Senegalese poets.

Dr. Ghay emphasised the importance of strengthening cultural ties between the Arab world and Africa by organising events that contribute to the exchange of ideas and creativity.

He also affirmed that the Arab Poetry Forum in Senegal is the most important event in the country, among the prominent cultural and literary events that celebrate Arab poetry and bring together poets and intellectuals from Senegal.

The forum included poetry sessions moderated by Senegalese poet Abdul Kareem Ghaay and a critical seminar titled "Senegalese Arab Literature (Poetry and Novel) Between Reality and Hope," which discussed the development of Arab literature in Senegal and its future prospects.

It also addressed the challenges faced by Senegalese writers and the difficulties hindering the dissemination of their works, as well as ways to enhance the presence of Senegalese Arab literature at both the local and international levels.

Readings covered various topics and purposes, such as identity, belonging, and cultural coexistence.