Contestants set for fourth season of Million's Poet

Abu Dhabi: The fourth season of the popular TV show Million's Poet starts on Wednesday night, with 48 poets from 12 Arab countries making it to the televised stages of the 15-week competition, it was announced yesterday.

The most popular prime-time show in the Middle East will be filmed live at Al Raha Beach Theatre in Abu Dhabi and broadcast on Abu Dhabi TV every Wednesday.

"Today, after more than 1,000 years on the virtual origination of Nabati poetry, this unique form of literature continues to be brilliant and draws millions of authentic poetry lovers," said Mohammad Khalaf Al Mazroui, Director General of Abu Dhabi Authority for Culture and Heritage.

Al Mazroui added that some researchers point to two important phases in Nabati poetry — the first from a thousand years old, while the second happened nearly four years old — the age of the Million's Poet contest.

Stakes

The stakes are high this season also, with big cash prizes including Dh5 million for the winner, Dh4 million for second and Dh3 million for third.

Fourth and fifth place winners will be awarded Dh2 million and Dh1 million respectively.

The prize money for all contestants are at the behest of General Shaikh Mohammad Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Abu Dhabi Crown Prince and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces.

Sultan Al Amimi, Director of the Poetry Academy at the Abu Dhabi Authority for Culture and Heritage, said the 48 poets participating in the competition were carefully selected to be the best from 12 Arab countries.

They include 19 poets from Saudi Arabia, eight poets from Kuwait, five poets from Jordan, four from the UAE, two poets each from Oman and Yemen, three poets from Qatar and one poet each from Bahrain, Iraq, Sudan and Syria.