Doha: The 7th round of the second Mathayel Nabati Poetry Competition, organized by the Ministry of Culture, has wrapped up at Mathayel Theater at the ministry’s building.

According to Qatar News Agency, the event, themed “Morality Has Evidence,” is held monthly and culminates in the final round that marks Qatar’s National Day. Kuwaiti poet Fahad Farraj Al Sulaf made the cut in this round, which revolved around the topic of chivalry. He is now qualified for the final, set to take place in December, where he will compete with other poets who have qualified.

The round featured strong contests among the five qualified poets, who meticulously organized their poems before the judging panel and the audience, drawing inspiration from a verse by the Qatari poet Jabr bin Dalham Al Kuwari. The verse, “Whoever gives generously rises in status, and becomes known among people,” helped spotlight new emerging poets and boost this kind of poetry on the cultural stage.

A phalanx of key Qatari, Saudi, and Syrian poets were present at this round. The Director of the Qatar Poetry Centre, poet Shabeeb bin Arar Al Nuaimi, praised the success of the second contest, emphasizing its focus on moral values and poetry innovations. The round centered on chivalry precepts, offering a high level of competition and creativity.

Al Nuaimi noted an unprecedented turnout, with participant numbers reaching over 1,500 in some rounds, confirming the great status of this poetry and its ability to attract talent. The center aims to adopt discovered talented poets and engage them in future events.

Member of the judging panel Hamad bin Abdullah Al Nuaimi praised the poets’ efforts, noting that although all tackled the topic from varied angles, only one poet qualifies per the contest rules. Fahad Farraj Al Sulaf, the winner of this round, expressed his hopes of securing the title in this esteemed Gulf competition.

The competition is part of the ministry’s efforts to support poetry talent, spotlight remarkable talents, and advance the poetry movement in Qatar, aligning with the Gulf and Arab cultural legacy. It aims to consolidate this poetry among new generations and encourage novel works that reflect contemporary evolution while preserving heritage identity.

The contest awards the first winner at the final stage QR1 million, with the second to ninth places receiving QR100,000 each.