Listen to the article
The Abu Dhabi Heritage Authority is preparing to launch the second edition of the Abu Dhabi Poetry Festival on February 9, 2025, at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre (ADNEC). Under the patronage of Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Chairman of the Abu Dhabi Executive Council, the three-day cultural event aims to celebrate both classical Arabic poetry and Nabati verse while reinforcing the emirate’s position as a leading cultural hub in the region.
According to the organizing authority, the Abu Dhabi Poetry Festival aligns with the emirate’s broader cultural strategy to sustain heritage and strengthen the status of both traditional and contemporary poetic forms. The festival will showcase the emirate’s ongoing commitment to supporting the cultural and heritage movement across the United Arab Emirates.
Diverse Programming and Interactive Experiences
The second edition of the festival features a rich and varied program designed to engage visitors of all ages. Among the highlighted sections are the Poetry Bridge, the UAE Poetry Map, the Young Poet Corner, and the Emirati Women Poets Corner, according to event organizers. Additionally, the festival will include a Performing Arts Platform and a Poetry Café, creating multiple interactive spaces for poetry enthusiasts.
These diverse sections aim to facilitate knowledge exchange between experts and specialists in both classical and Nabati poetry traditions. The festival organizers stated that the event will highlight prominent poets and their achievements while showcasing the UAE’s poetic environment and its contribution to Arabic poetry.
Expanding Audience Reach and Youth Engagement
Festival management has emphasized its goal to expand participation and attract new audience segments, particularly young people and emerging generations. The strategy focuses on encouraging youth to interact with poetry and explore its creative dimensions, thereby reinforcing poetic culture within society and connecting new generations with their literary and linguistic roots.
The Abu Dhabi Poetry Festival serves as a platform for discovering the aesthetic qualities of Arabic poetry while demonstrating Abu Dhabi’s role in advancing the broader Arabic poetic movement. Through its interactive spaces and educational components, the event seeks to make poetry more accessible to audiences who may not regularly engage with traditional literary forms.
Building on Previous Success
The inaugural Abu Dhabi Poetry Festival, held in October 2023, demonstrated significant public interest in poetic arts and cultural programming. According to official reports, the first edition spanned four days and attracted wide participation from poets across the United Arab Emirates, Gulf countries, and the broader Arab world. The event drew more than one thousand poets, writers, and researchers, while welcoming over 15,000 visitors throughout its duration.
This strong turnout in the festival’s debut year has informed the planning for the second edition, with organizers working to build upon that foundation. The Heritage Authority has designed the upcoming event to accommodate larger crowds while maintaining meaningful engagement opportunities for participants and attendees alike.
Cultural Heritage and Sustainability Goals
The festival represents a key component of Abu Dhabi’s cultural sustainability initiatives, positioning poetry as both a living art form and an essential element of Emirati heritage. By supporting creative content and providing platforms for poets and talents, the emirate continues to establish itself as an important center for Arabic literary culture in the modern era.
Furthermore, the event contributes to preserving linguistic traditions by celebrating both classical Arabic poetry and the Nabati dialect, which holds particular cultural significance throughout the Arabian Peninsula. This dual focus ensures that multiple poetic traditions receive recognition and support from cultural institutions.
The three-day Abu Dhabi Poetry Festival will run from February 9 through February 11, 2025, at ADNEC, with detailed programming schedules expected to be announced by the Heritage Authority in the coming weeks.
