The seventh edition of the Moroccan Poets Festival officially opened on Friday in the city of Tetouan, Morocco, under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah, and His Majesty King Mohammed VI of Morocco.

The three-day festival is organised by the Sharjah Department of Culture in cooperation with Morocco’s Ministry of Youth, Culture, and Communication. The event brings together more than 50 Moroccan poets, intellectuals, critics, and artists.

The opening ceremony was held at Teatro Español in central Tetouan and attended by several cultural and government officials, including Mohammed Ibrahim Al Qasir, Director of Cultural Affairs at the Sharjah Department of Culture, Zahour Amhaouch, Regional Director of Culture representing Moroccan Minister Mohammed El Mahdi Bensaid, and Abdelrazak El Mansouri, Governor of Tetouan Province.

The event also welcomed writers, academics, university students, and poetry lovers from across Morocco.

The festival began with the screening of a documentary titled “Ten Unforgettable Years”, which highlighted the achievements and cultural activities of the House of Poetry in Tetouan since its launch.

Poet Mukhlis Al-Saghir praised the Houses of Poetry initiative supported by the Ruler of Sharjah, saying it had become an important cultural platform across the Arab world. He added that the Tetouan festival had hosted hundreds of poets over the years and continued to promote Moroccan poetry and creative expression.

Mohammed Ibrahim Al Qasir said the festival reflects the strong cultural and historical relationship between the UAE and Morocco. He noted that poetry houses across the Arab world now play a major role in supporting literary talent, encouraging cultural exchange, and preserving Arabic poetry in modern cultural life.

He added that the House of Poetry in Tetouan had become a successful model through its active literary programmes that bring together poets, writers, and critics.

Al Qasir also said the seventh edition of the festival highlights the continuity of the cultural project and celebrates the diversity and richness of Moroccan poetry across different generations.

Speaking on behalf of the Moroccan Minister of Youth, Culture, and Communication, Zahour Amhaouch described the festival as one of Morocco’s leading poetry events. She said it reflects ten years of cultural cooperation between Moroccan institutions and the Sharjah Department of Culture.

During the ceremony, the House of Poetry in Tetouan honoured poet and academic Allal El Hajjam and academic Fatima Tahtah for their contributions to Moroccan and Arab cultural life.

The programme also included poetry readings by Moroccan poets focusing on identity, human experiences, and social issues.

The House of Poetry further announced the winners of the seventh edition of the First Collection Award for Young Poets, an initiative aimed at supporting emerging literary talents. The winning poetry collections will be published by the House of Poetry.

In addition, winners of the “Regional Competition for Pioneers of the Arabic Language” were honoured to encourage Arabic language skills and creative writing among children and young people.