Sharjah’s Guest of Honour programme at the Warsaw International Book Fair 2026 introduced contemporary Emirati poetry to students, academics, researchers, and Arabic-language enthusiasts at the University of Warsaw during a special poetry evening featuring four prominent voices from the UAE’s literary scene.Titled “The Voice of Emirati Poetry”, the event brought together poets Saleha Ghabesh, Khulood Al Mualla, Kulthum Abdullah, and Abdulrahman Al Hemeiri in a programme that explored themes of identity, memory, time, longing, and the human relationship with nature. The evening created a dialogue between contemporary Emirati poetry and an audience engaged with Arabic language and culture through academic study and research.Opening the evening, Saleha Ghabesh presented a selection of poems exploring memory, emotion, and the natural world. Through works including Mirror and After the Rain, she reflected on humanity’s relationship with nature, using imagery of clouds, landscapes, and rainfall as metaphors for self-discovery, transformation, and renewal. A third poem examined the different paths individuals take through life in their search for truth and meaning.Themes of love, longing, memory, and human connection shaped the readings of Kulthum Abdullah. Through poems including I Promised and Faces and Eyes, she explored the tension between intention and desire while reflecting on how human emotions, memories, and experiences are revealed through personal encounters and relationships.A quieter and more contemplative tone emerged in the poetry of Khulood Al Mualla. Her poems Poet, Autumn, Waters of Thirst, and Cage examined observation, change, longing, freedom, and restraint, drawing on everyday images and natural elements to explore broader human experiences.The evening concluded with readings by Abdulrahman Al Hemeiri, whose poems focused on time, ageing, absence, and poetic legacy. Through works including “Candles and The Laurel and the House”, he reflected on the passage of life, the relationship between generations, and the enduring presence of poetry beyond those who create it.The poetry evening formed part of Sharjah’s wider cultural programme as Guest of Honour at the Warsaw International Book Fair 2026, through which the emirate is introducing Polish audiences to contemporary Emirati literature, culture, and creative expression through discussions, readings, performances, and cultural exchange.
