It was organised by the Dubai Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DTCM) in memory of the great UAE poet Mubarak bin Hamad Al Aqeli.
The forum began with the two renowned regional poets, Mahdi bin Saeed from Saudi Arabia and Saif Al Saadi from the UAE, pitching their poetic talents for the general public.
"We are providing these poets with a forum to popularise their work and make traditional Arabic poetry gain increased acceptance with the masses," said DTCM In-charge of Sheikh Saeed Al Maktoum's House, Abdullah bin Jassim Al Mutairi.
He noted that the subsequent sessions of the convention will be held on March 13, 20 and 27.
Traditional Arabic poetry is a very old form of expression and was often used by societies in different forms ranging from songs to incantations and narrative poems.
Poets at the forum included Majid Abdul Rehman, Ali Al Khawwar, Abdullah Al Dosari, Yacoub Al Shamsi, Jamal, Al Shaqsi, Mohammed Al Murr Balabd, and Hamed Zaid.
Entrance fee to Sheikh Saeed's House has been waived by the DTCM for the ongoing DSF.
The DTCM has also produced a special booklet promoting the work of these poets that will be made available to poetry lovers visiting the site.
