Dubai, 27 February 2023: The UAE’s young poetry performers were celebrated at the Emirates Airline Festival of Literature at a special ceremony to honour the winners of the Poetry for All Competition, sponsored by Emirates NBD. The annual competition for pupils aged 8-18 gives young people the chance to show off their oratory and performance skills with individual interpretations of favourite poems, which this year were performed in person.
Winners were chosen by a panel of poets and judges including festival poets Sara al Zain, Qasim Saudi, Mohamad al Hebsi and Eidha bin Masood for Arabic and Zeina Hashem Beck, Harry Baker, Martin Kiszko and Zolani Mkiva for the participants in English.
The Poetry for All competition attracted more than 1142 entrants in English and Arabic, which is an unprecedented number, competing across the two age group categories of the competition, 8-13 and 14-18. 2023 also saw the inclusion of a separate category for Students of Determination and for Arabic the student performed both Fasih and Nabati poetry.
This is the sixth year that Emirates NBD has sponsored the competition. “Emirates NBD is delighted to be the proud sponsor of the Emirates NBD Poetry For All competition. The competition is our heartfelt contribution towards bolstering the strong tradition of poetry recitation in the country and passing the love of poetry to the next generation”, said MoadhBukhash, Chief Marketing Officer at Emirates NBD. “The enthusiasm and passion of the participating students for this competition is palpable and reassures us that this is a cause we would like to continue to support.” He added.
Winners:
English Winners
8-13 Category
1. Leah Faith Hussain, Horizon English School, Dubai
2. Nathaniel Cedmar R. Gonzales, The Philippine School, Dubai
3. Karas Ehab SelimanEskandaarSeliman, Gems Cambridge, Sharjah
14–18 Category
1. Varshitaa Prasad, Dubai International Academy, Dubai
2. Nareen Habibi, Al Mawakeb – Al Khawaneej, Dubai
3. Shreeyash Ramakant Pilani, Dubai Gem Private School, Dubai
8-18 Students of Determination Category
1. Ahmed Basel Ahmed, Himayah School for Boys, Dubai
2. TavishKishnani, Horizon English School, Dubai
3. Mohammed Abdulaziz Al Ali, Al Ittihad C3 School, Abu Dhabi
Arabic Winners
8-13 – Poetry Category:
1. Ghaya Saad Al Ahbabi, Liwa International School (girls), Abu Dhabi
2. Yasmeen Al Murr, Deira International School, Dubai
3. Hala Mujahid Haj Hussein from Al Hekma Private School (girls), Ajman
8-13 – Nabati Poetry Category:
1. Fateem Mubarak Matar Al Dawis, Jumerirah School C1, Dubai
2. Sheikha Ahmed Talib Mohammed Ahmed, Salma Ansari School C1, Dubai
3. Suhail Amer Al Amiri, Al Quaa C2, Abu Dhabi
14-18 – Poetry Category:
1. Omar Mohammed Shawki, National Charity School (Boys), Al Garhoud, Dubai
2. HessaSkendar, Tahnoun Bin Mohammed Educational Complex (Girls), Abu Dhabi
3. Hanin Mujahid from Al Hikmah Private School (Secondary/Girls) - Al Nuaimia
14-18 – Nabati Poetry Category:
1. Shifaa Ben Haider from Al Mawakeeb School, Al Khawanej, Dubai
2. Mariam Rashid Said Ali Al Owaiq Al Shehhi, Diba Fujairah High School C3 (Girls), Fujairah
3. BashayerAlalwi, Deira International School, Dubai
8-18 Students of Determination Category
1. Ahmed Basel Ahmed, Hemaya Boys School, Dubai
Honourable Mentions:
∙ TavishKashanani, English Horizon School, Dubai
∙ Mohammed Abdulaziz Al Ali, Al Ittihad Private School C3, Abu Dhabi
Other initiatives celebrated at the Festival includes the Voices of Future Generations, which launches its second anthology of winning stories; the School Librarian of the Year; OUP Story Writing Competition; RGS Guildford Dubai Children’s Letter Writing Competition; Chevron Reader’s Cup; Emirates LitFest Writing Prize; and the announcement of the fellow for the second year of First Chapter: ELF Seddiqi Writers’ Fellowship.
The Emirates Airline Festival of Literature Festival is held with Founding Partners Emirates Airline and the Dubai Culture & Arts Authority (Dubai Culture), the Emirate’s dedicated authority for heritage, arts, and culture. It is held under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the United Arab Emirates and Ruler of Dubai.
For more details, visit http://www.emirateslitfest.com/shop
More information about the Emirates Literature Foundation can be found online and year-round news of #EmiratesLitFest on LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube. The Foundation also has two podcasts; the Best of the Emirates LitFest, and the Boundless Book Club.
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Notes to editors:
About the Emirates Airline Festival of Literature:
The Emirates Airline Festival of Literature is the Arab World’s largest celebration of the written and spoken word, featuring international and regional writers, poets, thinkers and speakers from around the world. Over the last 14 years more than 1,800 authors from over one hundred countries have spoken at the Festival. In 2022 the Festival reached more than 105,000 people, in person and via live streaming. Sessions included multi-talented top children's authorDavid Walliams, entreprenuerGary Vaynerchuck, Indra Nooyi ranked amongst the world's 100 most powerful women executives, and Bridgerton author Julia Quinn, and the Education Programme featured children’s favouritesAli Sparkes, Rob Biddulph, Sanaa Chabbani, GulnarHajou and Ken Arto.
The aim of the Festival is to develop a culture of reading as an enjoyable habit in the UAE, and its efforts have been recognised through many awards over the years. By providing an equal platform for international and locally based talents, the Festival continues to build the literary landscape in the UAE and further afield. Alongside the main programme, the Festivalorganises an Education programme, reaching students across the seven emirates of the UAE. There are also student competitions, held in Arabic and English, which allow young people to showcase their skills through poetry, short stories and reading.
Held under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mohammad bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, the Festival is a key part of the Emirates Literature Foundation, which was established in 2013 by Royal Decree. In partnership with Emirates Airline and the Dubai Culture & Arts Authority (Dubai Culture), the Emirate’s dedicated authority for heritage, arts, and culture, the Emirates Airline Festival of Literature will be back in 2023. For information and updates about the Emirates Airline Festival of Literature visit the website:www.emirateslitfest.com
About the Emirates Literature Foundation:
The Emirates Literature Foundation is a not-for-profit organisation which supports and nurtures a love of literature in the United Arab Emirates and the region, through a programme of varied cultural initiatives.
Established in 2013 by Royal Decree issued by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, the Foundation aims to foster a love for literature, with a focus on the Arabic language.
In line with the National Reading Policy of the UAE, the Foundation has implemented several long-term projects including the School Librarian of the Year Award, KatebMaktub, and From the Inside Out, as well as conducting year-round student education programmes, book clubs and mentorship programmes. The Foundation’s previous initiatives included the 2020 International Literary Festivals Conference, the 2017 Dubai International Publishing Conference and the 2016 Dubai Translation Conference.
The Foundation is also the governing body of the Emirates Airline Festival of Literature, the UAE’s premier literary festival.
About Emirates
Emirates is an award-winning international airline with a global footprint across six continents, connecting passengers and facilitating global trade to and through its modern hub, Dubai to over 120 destinations. The airline operates one of the most modern and efficient aircraft fleet comprised of spacious and comfortable Airbus A380 and Boeing 777 aircraft. With a culturally diverse workforce from over 130 nationalities, Emirates caters to its global customer base by delivering exceptional services and world-class products. The airline also supports local communities worldwide and brings people together through its vast portfolio of international sports and cultural sponsorships.
About Dubai Culture & Arts Authority
Dubai Culture and Arts Authority (Dubai Culture), under the leadership of Her Highness Sheikha Latifa bint Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, is committed to enriching Dubai’s cultural scene based on the UAE’s heritage, and is building bridges of constructive dialogue between various cultures to enhance Dubai’s position as a global centre for culture, an incubator for creativity, and a thriving hub for talent.
As part of its journey to position Dubai as the global capital of the creative economy, Dubai Culture is keen on reviving and preserving the emirate's historical heritage and developing the regulatory frameworks for the cultural and creative sector in line with its strategic roadmap 2020 – 2026.
The Authority also seeks to empower the enablers that seek to support talents and stimulate active participation from society members by investing in the various cultural and heritage assets under its remit, including the management of six heritage sites, six museums, Al Jalila Cultural Centre for Children and eight Dubai Public Library branches, all of which help contribute to creating an economic system that stimulates the cultural and creative industries.
For more information, please visit the Authority's website www.dubaiculture.gov.ae
About Emirates NBD
Emirates NBD is a leading banking Group in the region. As at 31st December 2018, total assets were AED 500.3 Billion, (equivalent to approx. USD 136 Billion). The Group has a significant retail banking franchise in the UAE and is a key participant in the global digital banking industry, with over 90 per cent of all financial transactions and requests conducted outside of its branches. The bank was declared the Most Innovative Financial Services Organization of the Year at the 2017 BAI Global Innovation Awards.
The bank currently has 230 branches and 1069 ATMs and SDMs in the UAE and overseas and a large social media following, being the only bank in the Middle East ranked among the top 20 in the ‘Power 100 Social Media Rankings’, compiled by The Financial Brand. It is a major player in the UAE corporate and retail banking arena and has strong Islamic Banking, Global Markets & Treasury, Investment Banking, Private Banking, Asset Management and Brokerage operations.
The Group has operations in the UAE, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Egypt, India, Singapore, the United Kingdom and representative offices in China and Indonesia.
The Group is an active participant and supporter of the UAE’s main development and community initiatives, in close alignment with the UAE government’s strategies, including financial literacy and advocacy for inclusion of People with Disabilities under its #TogetherLimitless platform. Emirates NBD Group is an Official Premier Partner of Expo 2020 Dubai. For more information, please visit: www.emiratesnbd.com