TAIF – Under the auspices of the Ministry of Culture, Prince Abdullah Al-Faisal International Prize for Arabic Poetry will be distributed on Muharram 1. It was decided during the 9th meeting of the Arabic Poetry Academy Trustees Council in Taif University. The meeting on Sunday was chaired by Prince Khaled Al-Faisal, emir of Makkah Province, adviser to the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques and chairman of the Arabic Poetry Academy Trustees Council. Deputy Minister of Culture Hamid Bin Muhammad Fayiz and members of the trustees council were also present, Saudi Press Agency (SPA) said Prince Khaled valued the achievements made by the academy in its first year. He lauded the completion of the report on the Status of Arabic Poetry for 2018, considering it to be an accomplishment by the academy that will enrich Arabic library. The report is scheduled to be launched during the ceremony for honoring the winners of the Prince Abdullah Al-Faisal International Prize for Arabic Poetry. The council discussed a number of subjects on the agenda, most prominent of them being partnership of the Arabic Poetry Academy at Taif University with the Ministry of Culture, comprising support for the academy's programs. The Trustees Council reviewed the proposal by the Arabic Poetry Academy at Taif University to develop the Prince Abdullah Al-Faisal International Prize for Arabic Poetry in its new year and its new branch allocated for the Kingdom's secondary school and university stage students, in addition to its projects for next year. The first three winners of the Prince Abdullah Al-Faisal International Prize for Arabic Poetry, in its first session, were renowned Sudanese poet Muhammad Abdullah Abdulbari in Classical Arabic Poetry with a cash prize of SR500,000, Fawzi Mahmood Ahmed Khidhir from Egypt in Theatrical Poetry with a cash prize of SR300,000 and Karim Owdah Leaibi from Iraq with a cash prize of SR200,000.
