Beauty of Emirati poetry bountiful
GUADALAJARA: Emirati poets Khulood Al Mualla and Abdullah Alhadiya, accompanied by Mexican author Diego Gomez, let visitors of the 36th Guadalajara International Book Fair in awe with a mesmerising recitation of poems during “The Voice of the World” poetry recitation session held on Sunday 27th November.
The Sharjah pavilion, a dedicated space for the Guests of Honour in Mexico, was packed with an audience thrilled to experience Arabic poetry and its beauty through instant translation that highlighted the unique topics.
The session asserted that poetry is a medium that brings all together despite language barriers.
The session, moderated by author Laura Di Pietro, began with a comment by Emirati poet Khulood Al Mualla, who explained that “today, the lifelong dream of mine to visit Mexico became a reality. It is a country that welcomes you with open arms; I can’t express how happy I am to present my poems during this visit.”
She then proceeded to take the audience on a poetic journey through her poems “Harwala” and “Shurood”, using her unique and quiet delivery, which evolves around contemplation, stillness and mysticism.
Poet Abdullah Alhadiya then introduced the audience to his poems about the heritage and mythological aspects of Arabic culture. His poems were packed with deep connotations rooted in the history of the Arab region which sparked beautiful imagery within the audience’s imagination.
Mexican author Diego Gomez recited several poems by renowned classical Latin poets to introduce visitors to the themes carried by poets from Mexico, Ecuador, Venezuela, and Nicaragua.
MEXICAN PHOTOGRAPHER NAMED AFTER KHALIL GIBRAN: The enduring influence of Lebanese-american writer, poet and visual artist, Gibran Khalil Gibran, one of the three most-read authors in the world till date, continues to be felt across the world to this day as the author of The Prophet is inspiring and impacting young generations even as far away as Mexico.
During his visit to the Sharjah pavilion at the 36th Guadalajara International Book Fair where Sharjah is being celebrated as Guest of Honour, Khalil Landero, a Mexican photographer, said that he was named ater the Lebanese writer who transformed Arabic literature in the first half of the 20th century.
“My family is from Mexico, but my parents were keen on choosing a name with deep meaning for me, their eldest son. When they were young, my parents had read Gibran and his writings resonated with them. They were inspired by the famed writer’s humanity and his deep philosophical wisdom,” Khalil explained.
“Books open up whole new worlds and when these are from another culture, they connect with us in a profound way,” Landero acknowledged.
Literature has a great impact on cultures worldwide, he said, adding, “Stories like the origins of my name are commonplace, and it is books that pave the way for uniting people of one culture with a new world.”