RIYADH: The King Abdulaziz Public Library in Riyadh launched an Arabic poetry exhibition on Monday in the presence of Faisal bin Abdulrahman bin Muammar, the general supervisor of the library, and several researchers.
The event celebrated the significance of poetry, its heritage, and its cultural impact in the Arabian Peninsula.
The exhibition commenced with a welcoming address by Bin Muammar, followed by a live theatrical performance featuring Saudi actors portraying ancient Arab poets.
It showcased a diverse collection of poetry, manuscripts, and rare Arabic and translated books spanning five centuries.
It also featured Arabic calligraphy paintings created by Saudi and Arab artists, incorporating famous lines from Arabic poems drawn from different periods.
Bin Muammar described the exhibition as a “great initiative” that serves to cultivate pride in Arab “civilization, values, and traditions.”
The exhibition illustrated the evolution of Arabic poetry across five stages: the pre-Islamic era, the Islamic era, the Umayyad era, the Abbasid era, the era of states and emirates, and the modern era of Arabic poetry.
Also featured at the exhibition were a children’s area and five workshops, each dedicated to a specific era of Arabic poetry.
The exhibition, open until the end of this year, comes as part of several activities being held under the Year of Arabic Poetry 2023 initiative, launched by the Ministry of Culture.
