Al-Babtain Announces Winners of the 20th Edition of the Poetry Creativity Award
The Abdulaziz Saud Al-Babtain Foundation for Poetry Studies announced the winners of the 20th edition of the Abdulaziz Saud Al-Babtain Prize for Poetic Creativity, through which the foundation continues to support poetry, poets, and critics, enhance the status of the Arabic language, and highlight the cultural and humanitarian role of poetry in Arab societies.
In a statement to KUNA, Chairman of the Foundation’s Board of Trustees, Saud Al-Babtain, said that reaching the 20th edition of the prize marks an important milestone in a cultural journey that has believed since its inception that Arabic poetry is one of the deepest manifestations of Arab identity and its living memory, as well as its renewed capacity to express humanity and its issues.
Al-Babtain added that the foundation views the prize as a space where poetic and critical experiences converge across different generations and schools, allowing young voices to appear alongside established experiences in a continuous creative dialogue linking the past, present, and future. He noted that care for the Arabic language remains at the core of the foundation’s mission as a patron of thought and creativity, emphasizing that supporting poets and critics is not limited to celebrating winners but reflects a belief in the necessity of continuing Arab culture’s discovery of its new energies and safeguarding its creative achievements.
Al-Babtain pointed out that the 20th edition witnessed geographical and artistic diversity, as well as the presence of poets and critics from different generations, confirming Arabic poetry’s ability to renew itself and demonstrating that the Arabic poem, in all its forms and questions, remains present in consciousness and sentiment.
In the prize category for poetic criticism, valued at $80,000, the award was shared by Dr. Mohamed Saleh Al-Bouamrani from Tunisia for his book “Sufi Stylistics and Poetic Emotions,” and Dr. Abdelkader Fedda from Algeria for his book “Poetry and Questions of Civilization.”
In the category of the poetic anthology, the award for the best poetry collection, valued at $40,000, was shared equally between poet Hassan Shahab al-Din from Egypt for his collection “Planet and Fifty Galaxies,” and poet Jaber Baadani from Yemen for his collection “The Dervish Dancer.”
Poet Nasser Al-Maliki from Nigeria won the award for the best youth poetry collection (for poets under 35), valued at $20,000, for his collection “As If I Were Him.”
In the award for the best poem, valued at $20,000, the prize was shared by poet Ali Al-Amara from Iraq for his poem “The Reveries of Imru’ al-Qais on the Road,” and poet Saad Al-Qalaa’i from Egypt for his poem “The Misguided Party.”
In the youth category (under 35), the award for the best youth poem, valued at $10,000, was shared by poet Hazem Mustafa from Egypt for his poem “Loneliness,” and poet Sumaya Al-Wadi from Palestine for her poem “Diary of Ordinary Bombing.”
The honorary award for poetic creativity, valued at $100,000, was granted to poet Abdelqader Al-Husni from Syria in recognition of his poetic career, creative output, and prominent artistic experience.
The 20th edition witnessed widespread participation that reflected the diversity and vitality of the Arab poetic landscape. The prize received approximately 564 entries across its various categories during the period from July 1, 2025, to the end of January 2026.
