Al-Babtain and the Bibliotheca Alexandrina Renew Partnership to Preserve the Heritage of Arabic Poetry
The events commenced with an Arabic poetry evening featuring a number of poets, academics, and intellectuals from across the Arab world, namely: Dr. Ahmed Balboul (Egypt), Dr. Abdullah Abu Shmeis (Jordan), Dr. Faleh bin Tafila (Kuwait), poet Mohammed Ibrahim Yacoub (Saudi Arabia), poet Mohammed Abdullah Al-Buraiki (UAE), poet Ahmed Shalabi (Egypt), Dr. Jehan Barakat (Egypt), poet Zain al-Abidin al-Dhubeibi (Yemen), with the evening moderated by Professor Dr. Mohammed Mustafa Abu Shwarb.
The following day, the events continued with a scientific symposium titled “Efforts to Disseminate Poetic Heritage and Care for Poetry Manuscripts,” which highlighted pioneering Arab efforts in editing poetic heritage, preserving its manuscripts, and safeguarding them using the latest scientific methods.
The first session was presented by Professor Dr. Mohammed Mustafa Abu Shwarb, under the title “Contributions of the Abdulaziz Saud Al-Babtain Foundation for Poetic Studies to Editing and Disseminating Poetic Heritage.” He reviewed the Foundation’s experience in serving Arabic poetry through editing anthologies and classical works, publishing specialized encyclopedias and dictionaries, and supporting research projects that contributed to reviving Arabic poetic heritage and presenting it to new generations with rigorous scholarly methodology.
The second session was presented by Dr. Madhat Issa, Director of the Manuscripts Center at the Bibliotheca Alexandrina, under the title “Bibliotheca Alexandrina’s Efforts in Caring for Poetry Manuscripts.” He outlined the Library’s efforts in collecting, preserving, restoring, digitizing, and making available Arabic poetry manuscripts to researchers, thereby enhancing the preservation of Arab cultural memory and ensuring its sustainability.
In a statement, Saud Abdulaziz Al-Babtain, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Abdulaziz Saud Al-Babtain Foundation for Poetic Studies, emphasized that the partnership with the Bibliotheca Alexandrina represents a model of integration among Arab cultural institutions and contributes to reinforcing awareness of the importance of poetic heritage as one of the key components of Arab identity.
He added, “Arabic poetry is not merely a literary legacy; it is the memory of the nation and a record of its civilization. From this perspective, the Foundation continues its efforts to edit and disseminate poetic heritage according to the highest scientific standards, believing that reviving classical texts and preserving manuscripts constitutes an investment in the future of Arab culture. Cooperation with the Bibliotheca Alexandrina strengthens this civilizational mission, given the Library’s scientific standing and pioneering expertise in preserving human heritage.”
These events follow up on the cultural cooperation between the Abdulaziz Saud Al-Babtain Foundation for Poetic Studies and the Bibliotheca Alexandrina, embodying a shared vision that positions Arabic poetry as a beacon of knowledge in both past and present, a bridge for dialogue, and a solid pillar in safeguarding Arab cultural identity.
