Abu Dhabi, UAE – The Abu Dhabi Arabic Language Centre (ALC) has announced the winners of the Kanz Al Jeel Award 2023, which honours creators and outstanding artistic works that focus on Nabati poetry and have enriched the Arab literary canon. Winners in the Award’s second edition include renowned artists, writers, and poets across various categories.
This year, the Kanz Al Jeel Award received a notable increase in submissions with a total of 264 entries across its six categories, with nominees hailing from 27 countries including 17 Arab nations and 10 others around the world.
The Arts category saw artist Muntasir Fathi from Jordan win for his piece titled ‘Fiha Zahat Al Anwar’ (In It Blossomed the Lights), which creatively combines calligraphy, lettering, and abstract art. The colour treatment enhances the beauty and unique character of the piece, striking a harmonious balance between design, letters, and colour masses, reflecting an aesthetic perspective that reaffirms the Award’s purpose and the meaning of its name (“treasured sayings”).
In the Studies and Research category, Dr. Abdullah Maneh Ghleis from Kuwait won for his book ‘Al-Marjaa al-Wafi fi al-Awzan wal-Qawafi lil-Shi’r al-Fasih wal-Nabati’ (The Comprehensive Reference of Rhymes for Classical and Nabati Poetry), published by Dar Al-Aasma’ in 2023. The study is a notable addition to the Arabic library, characterised by its depth, accuracy, and clear and precise scientific methodology. It offers a systematic comparison between the metrics of classical and Nabati poetry, forming an important reference for scholars and researchers in the field.
In the Poetic Publications category, the prize was awarded to Dr. Abdalla Belhaif Alnuaimi from the UAE for his collection ‘Ishq Yatajaddad’ (A Love Renewed), published by Dar Molhimon Publishing in 2022. With its authentic and expressive language, the poetic work offers diverse content and purposes with a fresh and distinctive perspective on Nabati poetry. It maintains the authenticity of Nabati poetry with all its unique features, showcasing rich poetic imagery and vocabulary. This collection represents a significant experiment in terms of its themes and the uniqueness of its poetic language.
The Poetry Matching category saw renowned Saudi poet and media figure Ali Asiri, also known as Ali Al Sabaan, win for his poem ‘Qudwat Al Shu’ar’ (The Role Model Poet). The text is distinguished by its coherence, precise style, and rich vocabulary. The poet enriched his work with grandeur in poetry and meanings, offering a remarkable and harmonious poetic matching with elements that align with the original text. The poem maintains the sequence of ideas, deep meanings, and the essence of the authentic concept, striking a parallel balance between tradition and modernity, depth of thought, and simplicity of vocabulary, setting it apart from other works of poetic matching.
Emirati poet Saif Al Saadi won the Award’s Creative Personality category. Al Saadi is one of the most prominent poets in the Gulf region; his poems are known for their deep meaning, use of local colloquialisms, and unique poetic imagery. For 30 years, he has presented numerous distinguished poetry programmes and served as a judge on the ‘Raa’i Al Qaseed’ competition on Sama Dubai TV. He also oversaw the ‘Folk Poetry’ section in Al Bayan newspaper, founded by the late poet Hamad Khalifa Bou Shihab in the early 1980s. Al Saadi led the Jawaher magazine for folk poetry and published a collection titled ‘Mythaq’.
HE Saood Al Hosani, Undersecretary of the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi), said: “The Kanz Al Jeel Award draws its inspiration from the poetic vision, eloquence, and wisdom of the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, whose legacy inspires the work we do to preserve and promote Abu Dhabi’s cultural heritage. The award aligns with our strategic goal to support and nurture creativity, and to foster pride in our cultural identity through the preservation and advancement of our Arabic language.”
HE Dr. Ali bin Tamim, Chairman of the ALC, said: “The Abu Dhabi Arabic Language Centre is committed to preserving and developing the Arabic language, and poetry is a fundamental pillar of the Arabic literary canon. This year’s Kanz Al Jeel Award honours a diverse group of winners from countries spanning the region and has seen a significant increase in the number of submissions, reflecting the award’s growing status and reach. We are advancing the Arabic language and enabling artistic expression by recognising a new generation of Nabati poets and researchers who, through their works and projects, are promoting and elevating the genre.”
HE Dr. Ali Saeed Al Kaabi, Chairman of the Kanz Al Jeel Award Higher Committee, said: “The Kanz Al Jeel Award is an important step towards enriching the Arab cultural and literary landscape, spotlighting new and innovative poetic masterpieces that showcase the literary artistry of the genre, providing readers with high quality projects that highlight the aesthetics and unique character of this artform. The winning entries in the second edition of the Award stand out for their unique charm and originality, showcasing the immense creativity in the field of Nabati poetry.”
The ceremony to honour the winners will be held on 22 November at Zayed Central Library in Al Ain, coinciding with the activities of the Al Ain Book Festival 2023, organised by the Abu Dhabi Arabic Language Centre from 19 to 25 November.
The Creative Personality winner will be presented with a gold medal and a certificate of merit, as well as an AED 500,000 prize, while winners of other categories will each receive a gold medal, a certificate of merit, and a prize of AED 200,000.
Winners’ Biographies
Muntasir Fathi
Fathi holds a Bachelor of Arts and Literature and is a former Arabic calligraphy professor at Jordan’s Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research. He has made numerous international contributions in the field of Arabic calligraphy and Islamic arts, including participating in writing the “Mushaf al-Sham”
and presiding over the judging panels of Arabic calligraphy competitions. He has also participated in various specialised exhibitions, including the Al Diwani Al Jali Exhibition in Dubai, the Ataa Al-Qalam Exhibition in Abu Dhabi, and several other Arab exhibitions. In recognition of his work, Fathi has received various international awards, including the Kufa Appreciation Award in Baghdad, the Erzika Competition in Istanbul, the Abdel Hamid El Kateb Calligraphy Competition in Syria, the Al Khatt Festival in Algeria, the Islamic University of Medina Competition in Saudi Arabia, and the Al Baraka Bank Competition in Istanbul.
Dr. Abdullah Maneh Ghleis
Dr. Ghleis holds a PhD in Arabic language from Minia University in Egypt. He is a member of the Kuwaiti Writers Association and has served as Editor-in-Chief of Al Bayan magazine issued by the Association. Dr. Ghleis is a member of the Comprehensive and Qualitative Development Committee for Al Arabi magazine. He has authored several books, including ‘Nahu al-Nass Dirasa fi Shi’r Ibn Zaydun’ (Toward the Text: A Study in Ibn Zaydun’s Poetry); ‘Elm al-Aarood wal-Qafiya’ (The Science of Prosody and Rhyme); ‘Tahqiqat Al Bayan’ (Investigations of Al-Bayan), which is a collection of manuscripts edited by several researchers, among other works. Moreover, Dr. Ghleis presented a comprehensive collection of research studies on poetry, published in magazines affiliated with Kuwait University, Suez Canal University, and other entities.
Dr. Ghleis has authored a collection of articles published in GCC and Arab newspapers, which discussed aspects and components of Nabati poetry. He also served as member of several juries for Arab poetry awards and festivals, in addition to lecturing at colleges and teaching a range of specialised courses.
H.E. Dr. Abdalla Belhaif Alnuaimi
H.E. Alnuaimi is an Emirati engineer, poet, and author, who served as the Minister of Infrastructure Development from 12 March 2013 to 2020, and as Minister of Climate Change and Environment from 5 July 2020 to 25 September 2021. He grew up with a strong command of the Arabic language and was influenced by poets from his region in the Emirate of Sharjah. Alnuaimi was closely involved in poetry, which became his primary tool for expressing his love for his country. His writings included humanitarian and patriotic themes, blending Nabati and classical poetry; he excelled in various forms and genres of poetry. Dr. Alnuaimi has published several works, including the poetry collection ‘Za’eer fi Jazirat al-Arab’ (A Roar in the Arabian Peninsula); the national epic ‘Durrat Al Azman’ (The Gem of the Times), the epic ‘Usturat Ab’ (Legend of a Father), and the poetry collection ‘Zayed Al Watan’ (Zayed and the Nation).
Furthermore, H.E. is an honourary professor at Heriot-Watt University in the UK, a founding member of Etihad Rail in the UAE, and member of the Ministerial Development Council, among other institutions. H.E. Alnuaimi has a PhD in engineering project management from the University of Reading in the UK, as well as a master’s degree in civil engineering.
Ali Asiri
Asiri is a Saudi poet and media personality whose poems has been published in most Gulf newspapers and publications. He has written several columns in Emirati and Saudi publications, in addition to holding poetry evenings at Arab and Gulf festivals, including the Al Jenadriyah Festival, Jeddah Festival 2021, Najran Festival 2023, as well as the Million’s Poet programme, Sharjah Folklore Poetry Festival, Dubai Summer Festival, Abha Festival, and the Annual Poetry Festival in the Sultanate of Oman. Asiri has been featured on numerous radio and television talk shows and has had his verses recorded as songs by renowned artists in the Gulf.
Saif Al Saadi
Al Saadi is an Emirati poet born in 1960 and folk poetry consultant at the Hamdan bin Mohammed Heritage Centre, having previously served as editor-in-chief of Jawaher magazine. His journey in the world of poetry began over three decades ago with simple writings that allowed him to learn the basics of folk poetry and its diverse forms. Over the years, he honed his skills and eventually emerged as a prominent figure in the folk poetry scene, particularly after being introduced to the media by late poet Mohammed Saeed Al Hili and mentored by the late renowned poet Hamad Khalifa Boushahab.
Al Saadi oversaw the folk poetry section in Al Bayan newspaper and served as a member of the jury for the ‘Raai Al Qasid’ competition on Sama Dubai TV. Prior to that, Al Saadi participated in the Poets’ Councils programme, which was broadcast on Dubai TV in the 1980s and 1990s.
He has issued a single collection of poems titled ‘Mythaq’, which traces his poetic journey and includes 44 poems that cover various themes and forms of folk poetry, such as patriotic, competitive, romantic, praise, and more, enriched with a wealth of colloquial vocabulary.
About Kanz Al Jeel award
Kanz Al Jeel is an award launched by the Abu Dhabi Arabic Language Centre (ALC), part of the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi) in 2022, with a set of objectives inspired by the poetry of the UAE’s Founding Father, the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan. The award aims to promote poetry – particularly, Nabati poetry – and highlight its role as a mirror of society. The award consists of six categories: Poetry Matching, Arts, Studies and Research, Poetic Publications, Translation, and Creative Personality. The total prize pool for the Kanz Al Jeel award is AED1.5 million, with AED500,000 awarded to the winner of the Creative Personality category and AED200,000 to winners in each of the other categories.
About Abu Dhabi Arabic Language Centre
The Abu Dhabi Arabic Language Centre, established following a directive from the President of the United Arab Emirates, as part of the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi, works to support Arabic language development and modernisation through comprehensive strategies and frameworks, enrich the scientific, educational, cultural and creative contributions of the Arabic language, promote Arabic language proficiency and cultural understanding, and support Arab talents in the fields of writing, translation, publishing, scientific research, arts, content creation and organisation of book fairs. The Centre works to realise its foundational vision through dedicated programmes, human expertise, and meaningful partnerships with the world’s most prestigious technical, cultural, and academic institutions.
About the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi
The Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi) drives the sustainable growth of Abu Dhabi’s culture, tourism and creative sectors, fuels economic progress and helps achieve Abu Dhabi’s wider global ambitions. By working in partnership with the organisations that define the emirate’s position as a leading international destination, DCT Abu Dhabi strives to unite the ecosystem around a shared vision of the emirate’s potential, coordinate effort and investment, deliver innovative solutions, and use the best tools, policies, and systems to support the culture and tourism industries.
DCT Abu Dhabi’s vision is defined by the emirate’s people, heritage, and landscape. We work to enhance Abu Dhabi’s status as a place of authenticity, innovation, and unparalleled experiences, represented by its living traditions of hospitality, pioneering initiatives, and creative thought.
Source: Zawya
