28-31 May 2026
PGE Narodowy Stadium

Dr Sultan Al-Ameemi is an Emirati critic, poet, researcher and storyteller. He is the president of the Emirates Writers Union and Director of the Arabic Poetry Academy affiliated with the Abu Dhabi Authority for Culture and Heritage, which is the first specialised academy dedicated exclusively to this field in the Arab world. He was one of the most important members of the judging panel during the Million’s Poet competition for Nabati poetry from the first season in 2006 – 2007 to the seventh season. Million’s Poet is the biggest competition dedicated to Nabati poetry in the Arab world. Dr Sultan Al-Ameemi is also the editor-in-chief of Million’s Poet magazine, which is published by the Million’s Poet competition. He writes Nabati and classical poetry, and some of his poems have been translated into English. He also writes short stories, many of which have been published in Arabic newspapers and magazines. He published two novels, ‘P.O. Box: 1003’ and ‘One Room Is Not Enough’, and three collections of short stories, ‘Page 79 of My Memoirs’, ‘An Apple for Entry into Paradise’, and ‘Elegant Ravens’. He is also the author of numerous publications, research papers, and studies in the field of short stories, popular literature, and Nabati poetry. Social media: @Sultanbuamim

Dr Hind Al-Mashmoom is a writer and researcher in Arabic language and literature who has been active in academia for over 10 years. Her interests include literary criticism, fiction, language and identity issues. She contributed to research papers and has also participated in cultural events. A member of several literary and cultural institutions, she strongly believes that words have the power to raise awareness. Through her involvement in cultural ventures, she promotes literary criticism, artistic creativity, and critical thinking, which can be tools to tackle issues relating to contemporary Arab culture. Her work aims to enrich the Arab literary scene with modern and authentic insights.

Khulood Al-Mualla is an Emirati poet who is well-known for her modern voice in the Emirati poetry scene. Her poems feature a unique lexical repertoire and draw from her own personal universe. Sufism permeates her work and gives it its own distinctive style. She published six poetry collections, including her latest, ‘And I Am Satisfied with the Clouds’ (2017), published by Dar Fadaat Al-Urduniyya, and a seventh book of selected poems entitled ‘Without Quenching My Thirst’ (2012), published by Dubai Cultural Magazine. Four of her poetry anthologies have been translated into Spanish, and ‘The Road That Takes Me’ has been translated into Russian, French, Hindi, Italian, and Spanish. Two books were translated into Turkish, and selected poems were translated into German and English. She recently published a selection of poems entitled ‘Without Wings’ in a French publishing house ‏(L’Harmattan) in Paris.‏ Khulood Al Mualla won the 2008 Beland Al-Haidari Prize for Young Poets at the Asilah Festival in Morocco. In 2016, she was honoured alongside three other poets from around the world as part of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum’s Poets for Peace initiative. As a poet, she is actively involved in cultural events in the Arab world and abroad. She was selected as an advisor for the International Poetry Festival in Costa Rica in 2020 and currently writes a monthly column in the weekly magazine Kitab, published by the Sharjah Book Authority.

Kaltham Abdullah is an Emirati poet, writer, novelist, and social activist who dedicated her writing to serving humanity, identity, and beauty. Her writing ranges from free verse and Nabati poetry, to narrative prose. It is written in a serene voice that brims with emotion and depth. She explores themes such as memory, heritage, women’s issues and human transformation. Kaltham Abdullah is also known for her cultural and social initiatives that support creativity and traditional crafts. Blending humanism and social commentary, her work celebrates love, dignity, and belonging, whilst leaving a quiet yet lasting impression on the reader.

Dhaen Shaheen Al-Nuaimi is an Emirati journalist, poet, and novelist. He served as Executive Director of Publishing at Dubai Media Incorporated and was Editor-in-Chief of Al Bayan newspaper for ten years. He holds a bachelor’s degree in media from the United Arab Emirates University (1984) and a Postgraduate Diploma in Economic Journalism from Boston University. He has held multiple cultural and media positions in addition to holding various membership titles, including the Board of Directors of the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Knowledge Foundation, the Arabic Language Advisory Council, the National Media Council, and the Emirates Writers Union. He was awarded the Minister of Interior’s Medal for Community Service and participated in numerous festivals and cultural evenings.  He has published numerous books relating to poetry, criticism, journalism, and fiction, including, ‘A Verse for Silence’, ‘What the Wind Did Not Say’, ‘Inscriptions on the Doors of the Nabataeans’, ‘Inside the Picture, Outside the Frame’, ‘Smart Journalism’, ‘History of Journalism in the Emirates’, and the novel ‘One Blood’.

Salha Ghabish is an Emirati poet and writer. She serves as cultural advisor to the Executive Office of Her Highness Sheikha Jawaher bint Mohammed Al Qasimi. She is also the managing editor of Marami magazine, which is published by the Sharjah Council for Family and Society, and the president of the Sadikat Publishing House. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Islamic Studies and Arabic Language from the United Arab Emirates University and completed the preliminary stage of her master’s degree at the Faculty of Dar Al-Ulum at Cairo University. Her work is quite diverse and includes five poetry collections and two novels, as well as books which document the lives of influential Emirati women. She also wrote numerous children’s and young adult books in addition to plays for children and television dramas. Some of her works were translated into other languages, and she won several local and Arab awards in the fields of literature and social work. She also launched and supervised many initiatives in the cultural field.

Abdul Rahman Al-Hemeiri is an Emirati poet born in Abu Dhabi who was crowned ‘Prince of Poets’ during the eleventh season of Million’s Poet. He published a book entitled ‘Priority for the Lonely’ and a collection of poems entitled ‘Now My Fire Calms Down’. The poet holds a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from Khalifa University and currently works in the oil and energy sector.  He was featured in numerous cultural evenings and events both within the United Arab Emirates and abroad.

Nadia Al-Najjar is an Emirati writer holding a bachelor’s degree in computer science. She has published novels, short stories and children’s books. She has received many prestigious awards, such as the Sharjah Book Fair Award for Best Emirati Book, the Emirates Novel Award, the Al Owais Award, and the Dr Abdul Aziz Al Mansour Award. Several of her books were shortlisted for the Sheikh Zayed Book Award. Her latest novel, ‘Touch of Light’, was shortlisted for the International Prize for Arabic Fiction (The Arabic Booker). Nadia Al-Najjar actively participated in the judging panels of many major literary awards. She also took part in many international and local forums, conferences, and seminars. Instagram: nadia_alnajjar

Dr Habib Ghuloom is an Emirati academic and theatre artist who holds a bachelor’s degree in acting and directing from the Higher Institute of Dramatic Arts in Kuwait (1987), a postgraduate diploma in drama directing (1993) and a master’s degree in theatre studies (1995) from the Academy of Arts in Cairo, followed by a PhD in theatre literature from the University of Manchester in the United Kingdom (1999). He served as cultural advisor to the Ministry of Culture and Knowledge Development, and is currently a member of the Board of Trustees of the Sharjah Academy for Performing Arts and the Arab Theatre Authority, secretary general of the Theatre Association and a founding member of the Ras Al Khaimah National Theatre. He is also a member of the Emirates Writers Union. He managed several Gulf theatre and film festivals, including the Gulf Theatre Festival (2003 and 2014), the Gulf Film Festival (2016), and the Children’s Theatre Festival from 2007 to 2025. He took part in the first sessions of the University Theatre Festival and participated in local and international cultural and theatrical events as an actor, writer, director, lecturer, and member of judging and research committees. Social Media: Habibgalattar

Abdul Hakim Al-Zubaidi is a poet, researcher and writer from the United Arab Emirates. He holds a PhD in Management from the University of Aberdeen in the United Kingdom and a master’s degree in Arabic Language and Literature from the University of Sharjah. He received several awards, most notably the Sultan Bin Zayed Award for Best Research on the United Arab Emirates in 2011, and the Sharjah Award for Playwriting from the Sharjah Department of Culture and Information in 2013. He published multiple books in the fields of poetry and literary studies, including the poetry collection ‘Late Confessions’ (2009), a study entitled ‘Intertextuality in Contemporary Poetry in the Emirates;’ (2011), and the book ‘Creative Regression in the Literature of Ali Ahmad Bakathir’ (2013) as well as ‘Popular Songs in the Gulf and the Arabian Peninsula’ (2019).  He also participated in various international conferences and literary gatherings both in the United Arab Emirates and abroad.

An Emirati poet and researcher who holds a bachelor’s degree in Arabic language and literature from Al Wasl University in Dubai, as well as a master’s degree in library and information science from the American University in the Emirates. She is a PhD student in Islamic history and civilisation at the University of Sharjah, and also occupies several positions in the field of culture, such as Chair of the Board of Directors of the Gulf Association for Libraries, Information and Archives, Head of the National Culture and Documentation Department and the Media and Public Relations Department at the Juma Al Majid Centre for Culture and Heritage. Currently, she serves as the secretary general of the Emirates Writers Union and is also a member of the board of directors of the Emirates Library and Information Association. In addition to this, she presents radio programmes on Sharjah Radio. Sheikha Al-Mutairi won second place at the 2019 Prince of Poets competition, becoming the first Arab woman to win this title. She also won first place at the Sharjah Award for Gulf Women’s Creativity in Eloquent Poetry in 2022, was honoured at the Sharjah Arab Poetry Festival in 2023, and won the award for Best Public Librarian in the United Arab Emirates.