King Abdulaziz University President Dr. Tarif bin Yousef Al-Aama launched a new edition of the "University Poet" contest, organized by the Endowment for the Language of the Holy Quran in cooperation with the Deanship of Student Affairs. The contest was announced at the university's pavilion at Jeddah Book Fair, and aims to discover and refine the poetic and creative talents of the university's male and female students.

Contest Goals: Encouraging Talent and Boosting Creativity

  • Discovering poetic talent among male and female students.
  • Igniting a spirit of positive competition and encouraging creativity in Arabic poetry.
  • Strengthening young people's connection to classical Arabic poetry and celebrating the beauty of the Arabic language.

Contest Stages: From Announcement to Crowning

The organizing committee divided the contest into four main stages:

  1. Announcement:
    Publishing contest details via the official website and the university's social media accounts.
  2. Submission of entries:
    Sending submissions to the specialized judging committee for evaluation.
  3. Initial judging:
    Screening submitted works and conducting interviews with the poets to verify their poetic output.
  4. Final stage:
    Holding the contest on the university stage before faculty members and students, where attendees listen to the poems and discuss their meanings and aesthetics, followed by announcing and honoring the winners.

Entry Conditions: Celebrating Classical Arabic

  • The poem must be in classical Arabic (Fusha).
  • It must be metered and free of linguistic and grammatical errors.
  • It must be between 12 and 30 verses.
  • The poem must be recited directly before the judging committee.

Encouraging Youth Toward Poetic Creativity

The "University Poet" contest represents an important platform for encouraging students to develop their poetic talents and boosting the standing of Arabic poetry among young people, while affirming its pivotal role in expressing values and emotions through a creative style.

Support from the Endowment for the Language of the Holy Quran

In cooperation with the Endowment for the Language of the Holy Quran, the contest forms part of the university's efforts to boost the Arabic language and highlight its beauty, and to encourage students toward innovation in literature and poetry.