With poetic
words and melodious poems and high-level attendees, the major international
celebration “Poets… Wings of Peace,” that the Islamic World Educational, Scientific,
and Cultural Organization (ICESCO) and the Arab Poetry Academy in Saudi Arabia
co-organized, kicked off in celebration of the World Poetry Day with the
participation of many outstanding poets, writers, and specialists.
After the recitation
of verses from the Holy Quran at the beginning of the celebration, held face-to-face
at the Organization’s headquarters in Rabat and by videoconference, the
speakers of the opening session recited poems in praise of poetry and poets.
The speakers also called for attaching due care and importance to poetry, a
literary art rooted in all cultures around the world, and use as a vehicle for
progress that enriches the noble and common human values.
At the
opening session, Dr. Abdelilah Benarafa, Cultural Advisor to the
Director-General (DG), delivered ICESCO’s welcome address followed by the screening
of the video “The Bird of Grey Tales,” which ICESCO produced to celebrate World
Poetry Day. The video touched on the multi-dimensional character of poetry transcending
all walks of life.
Addressing
the audience, the guest of honor, Mr. Mohammed Benaïssa, Secretary-General of
the Asilah Forum Foundation, reaffirmed that poetry is an ancient art rooted in
world cultures, including Islamic culture, and that there is no science or
thought that truly expresses the humans’ inner taste and feelings of beauty
like poetry.
Mr. Benaïssa
thanked ICESCO and its DG for organizing the celebration and recalled that the
Asilah International Cultural Project, which started with poetry and visual art
in Asilah, the city of art and poetry, was first organized in 1978. He also noted
that this project focused on poetry and thus hosted several senior poets, Arabs
and non-Arabs alike.
Speaking on
behalf of the Arab Poetry Academy, Dr. Mansour Al Harthi, praised the ICESCO’s great
cultural role and touched on the Academy’s role in supporting poets, discovering
young poetry talents in different educational stages, and publishing
collections of the best poems that young poets authored.
The famous
poet Mohamed Achaari then recited the poem “Dead Leaves.” In his contribution,
the poet provided a representation of the phases of the consciousness of the
Moroccan poem, poetic tenses. Prior to his recitation, Mr. Achaari delivered an
address wherein he stressed the need to accord a high position to poetry in
one’s life and called on poetry lovers to see poetry as a key development
factor instead of a luxury.
Through his
poem “A Nod in the Poetry Season” which he composed on the occasion, Dr. Salim
M. AlMalik, ICESCO DG, presented his greeting to the attending poets. In the
poem, Dr. AlMalik says: “the scents of beauty are smelt from the poems of poets
on the day of their global celebration; the flowers of ghazal, wisdom
and pride illuminate the darkness of trees of sorrows and anxiety and breathe
the feelings of reassurance, confidence and glamor in souls.”
The opening
session of ICESCO’s celebration of World Poetry Day closed with a musical
performance “muwashahat” by the Moroccan artist Karima Skalli.
