Announcing the names of the winners of the competition ” The Palm Tree in the Words of Poets” in its 10th edition, 2026
With participation 144 A poet and a poetess from 16 nation.
AbuDhabi(News Desk)::The General Secretariat of the Khalifa International Date Palm and Agricultural Innovation Award, affiliated with the Zayed Humanitarian Legacy Foundation, Presidential Court, announced the winners of the tenth edition (2026) of the “The Palm Tree in the Poets’ Tongues” competition, which is organized under the generous patronage of His Excellency Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, Minister of Tolerance and Coexistence and Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Award, in a vivid embodiment of the role of culture in preserving heritage and strengthening national identity. . The results were as follows:
Winners of the first category (classical Arabic poetry)
1- First place: PoetMorsi Hassan Mohamed Ali , for his poem entitled “Sheikh of the Villages “
2- Second place: PoetHassan Attia Hassan Jalnabo , for a poem entitled “The Palm Tree of Goodness “
3- Third place: Poet Samar Mahla , for her poem entitled “The Dignity of the Palm Trees “
Winners of the second category (Nabati poetry)
1- First place: Poet Ahmed Nasser Bakheet Al-Wazzan , for a poem entitled “The Silent Majestic “
2- Second place: Poet Juma Khalfan Salem Al Kaabi , for a poem entitled “The Palm Tree of Generosity “
3- Third place: Poet Omar Rashid Rashid Al-Azmi , for a poem entitled “Lofty Palm Trees “
This competition comes within the framework of an authentic Emirati vision inspired by the legacy of the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, may God have mercy on him, who established the palm tree as a symbol of life and giving, and made preserving cultural and environmental heritage an integral part of the sustainable development journey. . This edition witnessed the participation of 144 poets from 16 countries, competing in the categories of classical Arabic poetry and Nabati poetry. The poems drew inspiration from the beauty of the date palm and its place in the Arab consciousness, as a symbol of resilience, generosity, and connection to the land. The results yielded a select group of poets who, through their creativity, expressed the depth of this cultural and human connection. .
In this context, Professor Dr. Abdul Wahab Al-Bukhari Zayed, Secretary-General of the Award, affirmed that the competition represents a leading cultural platform for employing poetry in localizing knowledge and enhancing societal awareness of the importance of the date palm, not only as an agricultural element, but also as a cultural symbol reflecting national identity and values. He noted that the participating works were evaluated by a specialized judging panel according to precise technical criteria that included the quality of the text, innovation, rhetorical depth, and artistic construction. .
He added that this cultural initiative contributes to reviving one of the most important themes in Arabic poetry related to describing the palm tree, and enhances its presence in the contemporary cultural scene. This aligns with the Zayed Heritage Foundation’s objectives of linking culture with sustainability and consolidating the human values that connect humanity and the land. Through this competition, the award continues its role in supporting Arab creativity and providing an opportunity for poets from various countries to express their connection to the palm tree. This contributes to enriching the Arabic literary canon, strengthening the cultural dimension of sustainability issues, and embodying the palm tree as a global symbol of renewed giving and a sustainable human heritage. .
