Sharjah honors Moroccan cultural figures in Rabat
Rabat, June 3, 2017 – The Sharjah Cultural Honors Forum, under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, Member of the Supreme Council and Ruler of Sharjah, celebrated four prominent cultural figures who contributed to enriching the Moroccan and Arab literary and intellectual scene, as part of its twenty-seventh session, which took place in the Moroccan capital, Rabat.
The list of honorees includes: the poet and novelist Muhammad Al-Ash’ari, the writer and critic Abdel Fattah Kilito, the writer and critic Ahmed Al-Madini, and the academic and researcher Dr. Houria Al-Khamlishi.
The honoring ceremony, which was held yesterday evening at the National Library in Rabat, witnessed the presence of His Excellency Mohamed Ibrahim Al Qasir, Director of the Department of Cultural Affairs at the Sharjah Department of Culture, and Ghizlane Darros, Director of the Directorate of Books, Storages and Archives at the Moroccan Ministry of Youth, Culture and Communication, on behalf of the Moroccan Minister of Culture, His Excellency Dr. Mohamed El Mahdi Bensaïd, and Samira El Mellizi, Director of the National Library, along with a large crowd of writers, thinkers and intellectuals from Morocco and the Arab world and those interested in cultural affairs.
Moroccan poet Mokhles Al-Saghir, director of the House of Poetry in Tetouan, confirmed that the forum embodies the vision of His Highness the Ruler of Sharjah in celebrating Arab creators and appreciating their intellectual and literary contributions, noting that this event has become one of the most prominent Arab cultural initiatives that contribute to honoring intellectual figures, highlighting their creative achievements, and consolidating the values of loyalty to intellectuals who have enriched cultural life with their continuous production and giving.
Muhammad Ibrahim Al-Qaseer explained, in his speech, that the forum, which continues its journey throughout the Arab world carrying the message of loyalty to writers and writers, translates a solid cultural vision sponsored by His Highness the Ruler of Sharjah, out of His Highness’s belief that culture is the basis of renaissance, and that sincere words are capable of creating awareness and consolidating the values of beauty and knowledge.
Al-Quseir added that the forum formed, throughout its sessions, a bright space to honor intellectual and literary figures who devoted their lives to serving Arab culture and enriched the Arab library, noting that the meeting is being renewed for the fourth time in the Kingdom of Morocco, from which the second sessions of the forum were launched, with love and appreciation to continue celebrating those who gave in appreciation of their sincere efforts and the values of knowledge and enlightenment they instilled.
Al-Qasir continued, saying that the honor is due to the Kingdom of Morocco’s ancient civilizational and cultural heritage, and the writers and poets it has produced who have left clear imprints on the path of Arab creativity and developed the literary movement within their country and on the broader Arab horizon.
He stressed that the meeting embodies the depth of the fruitful cultural cooperation extending over the years between the Department of Culture in Sharjah and the Moroccan Ministry of Youth, Culture and Communication, appreciating the Ministry’s prominent role in supporting cultural action. He pointed out that this cooperation reflects the depth of the established fraternal relations between the UAE and the Kingdom of Morocco under the auspices of the two wise leaderships.
Ghizlane Darros delivered a speech on behalf of His Excellency the Moroccan Minister of Culture, in which she expressed her happiness at the opening of the activities of the twenty-seventh session, considering it a major Arab cultural moment that brings together Rabat and Sharjah as two global cultural beacons.
She added that the forum culminates a series of ongoing initiatives between the two brotherly countries, expressing her pleasure in hosting this prestigious honor, which Moroccan writers have received abundantly in the cities of Tetouan, Casablanca and Rabat.
Drus praised the cultural initiatives of His Highness the Ruler of Sharjah, which included establishing poetry houses, issuing magazines, and organizing forums and festivals in the fields of poetry, narrative, theater, and Islamic arts, leading to the prestigious awards and the Cultural Honors Forum, which establishes a culture of recognition of the achievements of creators, declaring Morocco’s permanent welcome to be an incubator for all major humanitarian and civilizational cultural initiatives and appointments.
In speeches delivered during the ceremony, the four honorees expressed their happiness and pride in this honor, which confirms the status of culture and intellectuals in the Sharjah civilizational project. They praised the pioneering role played by the emirate in supporting Arab culture and nurturing its intellectuals, noting the vision of His Highness the Ruler of Sharjah, which made culture a bridge for communication and dialogue between peoples. They also stressed that these initiatives constitute a continuous incentive to continue giving and consolidating the values of recognizing Arab cultural achievement.
The ceremony concluded with a documentary presentation, which the attendees followed with great interest, as it reviewed the important milestones and turning points in the scientific and creative lives of the four honorees, and shed light on their contributions that influenced the cultural scene over decades, documenting their achievements and the most prominent of their writings and publications through testimonials and excerpts that reflected their profound impact in the fields of poetry, novels, criticism, and academic research.
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