Poets battle it out with words in Dh15 million Nabati competition

abu dhabi — Over 1,000 people gathered at a theatre in Abu Dhabi on Tuesday to witness an epic battle of words, in the world’s biggest poetry show. The coveted ‘Million’s Poet’ is back, and at stake are cash prizes worth Dh15 million!

Organised by the Cultural Programmes and Heritage Festivals Committee (CPHFC) - Abu Dhabi, the Million’s Poet competition is reviving the centuries old ‘Nabati’ (Bedouin) poetry tradition. It gives the young Arab generation a platform to preserve this art form, a centrepiece of Bedouin heritage.

Over the next 15 weeks, 48 poets from 10 countries will fight it out for the top prize of Dh5 million. The other top four poets will receive Dh4 million, Dh3 million, Dh2 million and Dh1 million respectively.

The winners will be revealed on April 24, the last day of the show.

Major-General Faris Khalaf Al Mazrouei, CPHFC chairman, said: “The late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan had instilled a sense of pride and appreciation for their culture and heritage in the new Emirati generations. He taught them to love and care for our customs and traditions. Sheikh Zayed himself was the most ardent admirers and supporters of Nabati poetry, as it expresses our identity and our humanity.”

This year, the 48 finalists were selected from thousands of applicants, with five from the UAE qualifying. The competitions will take place every Tuesday, from 10pm, at Al Raha Beach Theatre.