Beyond business and investment, Dubai has uniquely situated itself to create new literary leanings and revive the tradition of poetry in the Arabian Peninsula through the currently Dubai International Festival: One Thousand Poets, One Language. With an international open cultural scene, Dubai has embraced poetry from world literatures in a phenomenon described by poets as “a giant stride in the history of poetry.” The festival, the brainchild of the Muhammad Bin Rashid Foundation, seeks to achieve literary intercultural dialogue, organizers say. The Festival has come to make poetry connect world's cultures in and enrich “the poetic and cultural life,” they say. “I have been to numerous poetry events in Europe, Canada, and the US, but nothing could be compared to this one,” said Slovenian poet Tomaz Salamun, with over 30 published collections of poetry in his native language. It could be the most important poetry event in the world as it could change the whole poetic culture, he added. Since its official inauguration by Sheikh Muhammad Bin Rashid Al-Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, Wednesday, the week-long gathering has attracted poets, intellectuals, and poetry lovers from around the world, taking the cultural and literary scene in Dubai to a new high. In his opening speech, Jamal Khalfan Bin Huwairib, head of the Organizing Committee of the festival said “throughout history, poets have carried the responsibility of passing on the flame of wisdom to the next generation…Poetry is among the most evolved arts and the strongest bridge between cultures. We believe that poetry can correct what politics has damaged.” South African poet Breyten Breytenbach said the festival was a step in the right direction to bring world poets and cultures in one place to indulge in a passion of “truth and “sincerity, even if through different dialects.” In his speech, he recited a poem by late renowned Arab poet Mahmoud Darwish, which moved the audience. Featuring an array of literary activities, the festival has showcased poetry soirees and gatherings in different language, but instantly translated in Arabic. Translation of poetry Ancient Arabs have said “The real meaning of a poem is hidden in the poet's stomach.” And the mission, indeed, becomes daunting when transferring the meaning of a poem into another language. Translation of poetry was, in fact, a major point of discussion among poets themselves and literary critics in the festival. In a session titled ‘Translation of Poetry: A Risky Mission,' seasoned Iraqi literary critic and translator Abdulwahid Lulua said “If the translator is unaware of the cultural meaning behind a word then this can lead to the poem's distortion and the whole essence of the poem can get lost.” Lulua himself did not get right in the first place. He said he had to translate T.S. Eliot's Waste Land five times because of translation errors. There are important principles for delivering a good translation of poetry, Lulua said. A translator should master both languages, have an excellent knowledge of historical linguistic changes of both languages, develop a good taste and appreciation for poetry, and know a third language within the same language family of both languages. “Literal translation is the worst mistake that an interpreter could commit as it destroys the meaning and fails to convey the core nuances to the reader,” said Muhammad Saleh Al-Gurg, an Emirate poet who translated ‘Al Khayyam's Quatrains' from Persian into Arabic Omar Al Khayyam was acclaimed poet of the 11th century that history has immortalized in literature schools. Al-Gurg was speaking at his book “Translating Al Khayyam's Quatrains” singing ceremony. Published after years of comparing original scripts of the Quartets to their translations in both English and Arabic and to hundreds of related books and references, the poet's dream project has come to life to breathe fresh nuances into classic literature after 9 long years of translation, said Ali Al Shaali, CEO of the Dubai International Poetry Festival Missed but not forgotten The huge festival showcase was full of activities to please the eye and ear of poetry lovers, but there are some events that stood out including soirees of prominent Arab poets and special evening dedicated to late prominent poets like Al-Khayyam, Al-Shabbi, and Mahmoud Darwish Evenings. Al-Khayyam Evening Commemorating the acclaimed 11th century poet Ghayath Al Deen Abu Al-Fateh Omar Ibrahim Al Khayyam, widely known as Omar Al Khayyam, an exclusive exhibition was held of the book “Translating Khayyam's Quatrains” by Muhammad Al-Gurg. The book is a sophisticated literary production that comprehensively tracks the translated versions of Al-Khayyam's Quatrains (the Rubaiyat) in English by Edward Fitzgerald in 1859, and in Arabic by the great Egyptian poet Ahmed Rami. The book singing ceremony followed a poetry recitation session. Khalid Al Budoor, an Emirate poet, recited some verses from Al Gurg's book saying that the Rubaiyat had influenced him since he was very young. Vladimir Marku, from Albania, recited some verses in the Albanian language saying that most Albanians know Al Khayyam's Rubaiyat because they carry many messages. Al-Gurg translated Al-Khayyam's poetry with “an unprecedented alphabetical rhyming scheme,” the organizers say. Al-Khayyam's quatrains are among the few literary masterpieces, translated into English, French, German, Italian, Russian, Chinese, Hindi, Arabic, and Urdu. Mahmoud Darwish Evening Legendary Arab poet Mahmoud Darwish was commemorated at the festival only eight months after his death. He promised the organizers to be the first to attend the festival, but death was faster. The commemorative evening indulged the audience into Darwish's poetry and its style. The evening included music and poetry dedicated to Darwish's literary celebrated life. With his image and works in minds, Darwish's lovers packed the Dubai House of Poetry in one of the most celebrated activities. Al-Shabbi Evening Graced by the attendance of Sheikh Muhmmad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the festival held one evening to celebrate 100 years of the birth of late popular Tunisian poet Abu Al Qassim Al-Shabbi (1909 – 1934). He died young of heart problems after writing all his poetry in a period of 10 years. His poetry reveals richness of imagery and depth of meanings with light symbolism that gives it a special taste. He was best known for the poetry of resistance against unjust political systems. Moving on a wheelchair, Al-Shabbi's son Muhammaded attended the festival “I wanted to recall the enthralling moments I used to feel when my father recited poems,” he said. As the festival comes to a draw Tuesday, the world poets will forward to the next year poetry festival in Dubai.
