Regional First Celebrates International and Arabic poetry
Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, March 10, 2015 – In recognition of the UAE’s rich tradition of oral storytelling and poetry, the capital will host the inaugural Abu Dhabi International Poetry Festival on March 19, which will bring together some of the world’s leading poets, such as well-known Americans, Patricia Smith, Kane Smego and G Yamazawa, to participate in a rich and multi-cultural programme alongside recognized Emirati and regional poets.
The event will be the Middle East’s first-ever festival dedicated solely to spoken and written poetic verse and will feature an exciting blend of workshops, open mics, slams, and competitions followed by the grand finale of performances that will showcase the talent of leading Arab and Western poets.
Founded by Rooftop Rhythms and BrandMoxie, The Abu Dhabi International Poetry Festival is being hosted by the event’s patron, Paris-Sorbonne University Abu Dhabi, with support from the US Embassy of Abu Dhabi and Fatima bint Hazza Cultural Foundation.
Award-winning poet, Dorian “Paul D” Rogers, is the founder of Rooftop Rhythms, a well-known platform for nurturing poetry in the UAE. He shared the vision for the event. “Nothing captures the human experience and inspires the soul quite like poetry – it is a legacy for this great country. For us, holding the Abu Dhabi International Poetry Festival here is a way of bringing poetry to its very source.”
Sana Bagersh, CEO of BrandMoxie added, “We’re excited to be working with Rooftop Rhythms, Paris-Sorbonne University Abu Dhabi, and our partners to celebrate the culture and tradition of the spoken word. We are all huge believers in community engagement and in nurturing creativity, and, with this, we’ll be reaching out to schools, universities, and community groups to make it an inclusive affair.”
The festival’s headliner is Patricia Smith, National Book Award finalist and three-time National Poetry Slam champion, who will be accompanied by fellow Americans, Kane Smego, and G Yamazawa. Home-grown local talent will also have a chance to shine, performing at the evening gala, as well as taking part in the daytime workshops, open mic events in English, French, and Arabic, and a poetry slam competition. The festival will provide free, writing and performance workshops, lectures, as well as a writing competition. This cultural celebration will be inclusive to all ages, attracting the participation of schools and universities, all the while providing positive, family-friendly entertainment.
Eisa Al Raeesi, Head of Student Affairs at Paris-Sorbonne University Abu Dhabi said, “Our university is committed to making Abu Dhabi a hub for cultural diversification as it is mentioned in the university’s moto, ‘A bridge between civilizations’. It is an honor to work hand-in-hand with our partners to realize this.
Jeremy Jewett, Cultural Affairs Officer at the US Embassy of Abu Dhabi added, “The Abu Dhabi International Poetry Festival will be a fun cross-cultural celebration. There’s so much in poetry that links different people together no matter the language. We love to help support programmes that bring unique American artists and experts over to engage directly with locals. I’m really excited about the schedule that BrandMoxie and Rooftop Rhythms have put together and the American poets that plan to come to Abu Dhabi.”
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About BrandMoxie:
BrandMoxie is a leading advertising and marketing agency that provides integrated marketing services including advertising, PR, strategy, research, publishing and production services. Established in 2004, BrandMoxie also runs its own CSR platforms. This includes Tamakkan, an initiative aimed at nurturing entrepreneurship, leadership and innovation, and the Dream Players, a programme aimed at nurturing creativity and the performing arts. BrandMoxie is also the publisher of Tempo magazine, a publication that focuses on creativity, innovation and social enterprise, and its online site feelyourtempo.com. For more information, visit: brandmoxie.com
About Rooftop Rhythms:
Started in 2012, Rooftop Rhythms is a cultural entertainment entity comprised of over 30 members that specialize in performance art. Rooftop Rhythms has been featured in regional print, Fox TV, on CNN’s Inside the Middle East, and has quickly cemented itself as the Middle East’s biggest poetry open mic night. Rooftop Rhythms also has highly popular live music events such as Abu Dhabi Soul and 50 Shades of Blues. Over the past three years, over 7000 people have attended Rooftop Rhythms’ events. For more information, visit http://www.facebook.com/groups/rooftoprhythms
About Paris-Sorbonne University Abu Dhabi:
Paris-Sorbonne Abu Dhabi University was established in May 2006, under the patronage of HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, the Abu Dhabi Education Council (ADEC) and Paris-Sorbonne University. Paris-Sorbonne University Abu Dhabi offers world-class degrees, both in undergraduate and postgraduate programmes, following the European Credit Transfer System (ECTS) and also accredited by the UAE Ministry of Higher Education and Research. Paris-Sorbonne University Abu Dhabi is devoted to Abu Dhabi’s vision of creating a cultural and scientific hub, and is an agent to realize this 2030 vision by delivering the future Emirati and international workforce and contributing to support the UAE’s economic diversification. For more information, visit sorbonne.ae/.
About Fatima bint Hazza Cultural Foundation:
Fatima bint Hazza Cultural Foundation was founded by Her Highness Sheikha Fatima bint Hazza bin Zayed Al Nahyan to promote intellectual, creative and cultural endeavors and support cultural interaction that empowers people. The foundation aims to enrich the cultural scene in Abu Dhabi and the UAE in particular and the region in general through organizing open to the public colloquia and seminars, exploring further means of art and music, introducing more awards for illustration and art, and collaborating on a local and international level with similar entities, while keeping children literature and education at its very heart. For more information, visit www.fatimabinthazzafoundation.com
BrandMoxie
www.brandmoxie.com
www.feelyourtempo.com
