The Sharjah Department of Culture organised the fifth Arab Poetry Forum in Mali’s capital on Sunday, drawing a distinguished group of poets, academics, university lecturers and Arabic language enthusiasts. The event, staged in cooperation with the Al Bayan Cultural Association, forms one stop in a series spanning nine African countries from Chad to South Sudan. According to the department, the gatherings aim to strengthen Arabic poetry on the continent, nurture emerging literary talent and deepen cultural connections between Sharjah and participating nations.
Prof. Abdulkader Idriss Maïga, serving as general coordinator, said Sharjah’s patronage had strengthened Mali’s literary and poetic landscape. In statements reported by WAM, he praised the forum for revitalising poetry and reinforcing the status of the Arabic language in the country. Dr Abdou Samad Ahmed Maïga, president of the Al Bayan Cultural Association, described the event as an annual platform for poetic creativity and the promotion of Arabic.
A poetry evening formed the centrepiece of the programme, with readings focused on themes of human emotion, experience and the beauty of language that engaged a broad audience of literature admirers. Organisers presented awards to standout poets and supporting figures before issuing recommendations to sustain such support and expand Arabic’s presence in the region. The Sharjah Department of Culture said the full schedule highlighted ongoing initiatives to build literary platforms throughout Africa.
The Mali session follows similar forums that have taken place in Chad and Benin since July, where participation ranged from 50 poets in Chad to 10 in Benin, according to separate WAM reports. His Highness Sheikh Dr Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi directed the Department of Culture in June 2026 to roll out the fifth edition across the selected nations, including Ivory Coast, Nigeria, Guinea, Senegal and Niger. The series reflects Sharjah’s established role in supporting Arabic language programmes beyond the Arab world.
Mali has hosted the forum against a backdrop of longstanding Arabic scholarly traditions in West Africa, where historic centres of learning have preserved thousands of manuscripts for centuries. A WAM assessment of the event noted that the Bamako gathering built directly on those foundations by connecting local enthusiasts with visiting poets and experts. The Cultural Affairs Department within the Sharjah Department of Culture coordinated all sessions to ensure consistency with the wider African outreach.
Recommendations from the closing session called for continued collaboration between Sharjah and Malian institutions to maintain momentum in poetry promotion and linguistic education. Similar calls have emerged from the other forums held this summer, creating a unified set of proposals for future editions. The Sharjah Department of Culture indicated that outcomes from all nine events would inform its next phase of cultural programming.
