UAE | Heritage and Culture

Million's Poet to raise prize money

New edition of reality television show to give Dh22m in awards to Arab talents at contest.

  • By Samir Salama, Associate Editor
  • Published: 23:37 June 30, 2008
  • Gulf News

Abu DhabiL The Million's Poet, a reality television show for Nabati (traditional) poets, will feature this year increased prize money, publishing and translation into English of the winners' works, the organisers announced on Monday.

The show, which is originally a competition for the most talented poet in traditional Arabic poetry to win a prize of Dh1 million, has increased the prize money to Dh5 million, said Mohammad Khalaf Al Mazrouei, director general of the Abu Dhabi Authority for Culture and Heritage.

"The second place winner will get Dh4 million, while third place poet will be granted Dh3 million. The fourth place winner will get Dh2 million while Dh1 million go to the winner of the fifth place in the new session 2008-2009," Al Mazrouei added.

General Shaikh Mohammad Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, has instructed that all participants in the competition to receive financial support to help them publish their works, and to make sure they continue their creative endeavour.

Additional Dh7million in consolation prizes will go to the remaining 43 contestants in the competition, making the total money prizes Dh22 million.

Preparations are under way to start a new tour for the judging committee in a number of Arab states.

Collection

He said that two books containing poetry from the previous 'The Million's Poet' contests will soon be published. One includes 174 poems from the first session 2006-2007, while the other includes 167 poems from the second session 2007-2008.

Works of the winners will be translated into English in cooperation with the Unesco and the English Literature magazine, said Sultan Al Amimi, head of the Poetry Academy at the authority.

Ancient form of poetry

Nabati poetry is an ancient form of Arabic poetry which is still widely appreciated. Several other forms have come alive through the competition, such as Mwal, Shalla and Qalta, which were forms of entertainment created by the bedouin during their long trips in the desert. They are types of solo singing.

Contestants must be over the age of 18 and under the age 45. A participating poem must not exceed 20 verses that follow the style rules of Nabati poetry. The contest is open to both sexes.

Applicants must fill a form that is available in the 'Poet of the Million' magazine or download it from the website www.nabati.ae in order to be interviewed by the judging committee. Assessing the poets depends on several criteria that include rhythm, rhyme, way of reciting, language, and style.

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