By IANS,
Dubai : A new Arabic poetry competition has been launched in the memory of departed Palestinian poet Mahmoud Darwish.
The Sharjah Department of Culture and Information has launched the new competition as part of the annual Arab poetry forum it organizes, according to the state-run Emirates News Agency (WAM).
Several poets from across the Arab world are expected to participate in the new competition.
Darwish, the towering Arab poet regarded as the voice of the bitter decades-old freedom struggle of Palestine, passed away Aug 9 at Houston in the US aged 67.
His funeral Wednesday at Ramallah was attended by tens of thousands of Palestinians led by their President Mahmoud Abbas, top Arab leaders and other foreign dignitaries.
Darwish is credited with creating a new genre of poetry, which depicted the pain, sorrow and endless hope of Palestinians living under occupation.
All his works were tributes to the Palestinian struggle and resistance.
He inspired millions across the world, inculcating in their hearts the spirit of freedom.
Apart from the new competition, the Sharjah authorities are envisaging a host of activities to pay tribute to the poet, the WAM report said.