By WAM,
Abu Dhabi : The organisers of the Prince of Poets Contest, have received 7, 000 entries from 22 countries when the Abu Dhabi Authority for Culture and Heritage announced receiving entries for the second edition of the poets competition in 2008.
The closing date for receiving the applications was April 13.
The panel of judges will receive 300 elevated poets in Abu Dhabi for an interview next week. The prince of poets contest is one of the most successful TV programmes in the Arab world, which broadcast the biggest TV poetry competition in classical Arabic. It aims at reviving the Arab heritage culture and discovering new poets as well.
About 5, 400 poets from 23 Arab and other countries applied in the first edition of the contest last year. But only 300 of them were selected due to poem forms and style. However, the panel of judges sorted out 35 poets, who finally took part in the contest. Kareem Ma’atouq, from the UAE won the contest last year, winning AED1 million prize.