The establishment of the foundation was neither a mere a manifestation of a cultural luxury or display of material wealth, nor was it simply a personal endeavor or persistence to merely achieve a dream. Rather, it was a firm determination to emphasize the crucial role that poetry plays in the life of a nation, particularly as one of the most significant literary genres in Arabic literature and as a reliable and trustworthy record that documents, preserves and records even the smallest aspects of the Arab people's lives and affairs. Moreover, the poet is considered an individual with advanced awareness, gifted by God with the ability to be creative, transparent, and insightful.

          The Arabs' deep admiration and affection for Arabic poetry did not appear out of nowhere. It has been formed based on the significant role that Arabic poetry has played, and continues to play, in Arab society as a means to satisfy their human soul, spirit, and even the physical body. Arab poetry is a wellspring from which individuals can draw what provides contentment to their souls, elevates their spirits, and pleases their ears, while also stirring their emotions and moral consciousness.

          Many questions have crossed my mind about many established facts: if Britain prides itself on its great poet "Shakespeare", and France on both its poets "Baudelaire” and “Hugo", and Russia treasures its poet "Pushkin", and Spain its poet "Lorca", and Pakistan considers "Muhammad Iqbal" as one of its greatest founders and heralds through his poetry, and Iran its poets "Omar Khayyam”, “Hafez’, and “Saadi Shirazi", then is it not rightful for the Arab nation to be proud of its own golden chain of great poets, starting from the poets “Imru' al-Qais”, “Zuhayr”, “al-Nabigha”, and “Labid”, passing by “al-Buhturi”, “al-Mutanabbi”, and “al-Ma'arri”, all the way to “Ahmad Shawqi”, “al-Shabbi”, “al-Akhtal al-Saghir”, and “al-Siyab”? This chain which has not been broken for more than fifteen centuries, with the Arabs having the largest number of poets without peer.

          Doesn't the contemporary Arab have the right to detach himself a little from his sorrows and setbacks, and take pride along with “Antara” and “Amr ibn Kulthum”? And why should the creativity of the great poet “Al-Mutanabbi” - the one who fills the world with knowledge and passion and occupies people's minds - and the philosophy of the great “Al-Ma'arri”, “Al-Shi'r Al-'Udhri” (The pre-Islamic Arabic poetry characterized by chaste and virtuous themes) , the poet “Ibn Abi Rabi'a”, and the “Golden Odes of the Pre-Islamic Poets” (Al-Mu’allaqat) be restricted only to the world of academics, researchers, and some enthusiasts and interested people?

          Why don't we let the Arab ear savor that beautiful and rhythmic oral art, just as it savors poetry when it is sung by great singers?

          We must strive and act, and others must strive and act as well, as the project requires everyone's efforts. The credibility of this statement is evident in the increasing number of institutions supporting poetry and literature throughout the Arab world, as well as the innovative projects they undertake to document, critique, and disseminate poetry through audio and digital means, in addition to publishing it in traditional book form.

          These questions and statements, in addition to my desire from the beginning, have strengthened my conviction of the necessity of establishing the Foundation without any delay. And now, I am feeling tremendous joy for what has been achieved with the cooperation of our friends - the friends of poetic expression at the level of the Arab world - which is a great blessing from God. I also express my sincere gratitude to everyone who contributed to it in any way.

          Finally, I hope for all the poets, critics, researchers, and all those working in this noble field every success. It is incumbent upon me to acknowledge the efforts of those working in the sister foundations in general, and this Foundation in particular, who are making constant and high-spirited efforts to elevate this magnificent and important Arabic heritage.

          This website is a response to the request of many friends and followers of the Foundation who love and follow its activities, hoping that it will be useful.

          And all praise be to Allah at the beginning and at the end.

 

Short Biography:

          A poet and a well-known businessman in Kuwait, his commercial and industrial activities are prominent in Europe, America, China, and the Middle East, and his investments are diverse in several Arab countries.

He published his first poetry collection, "Bawh Al-Bawadi," (Intimations of the Desert) in 1995.

He published his second poetry collection, "Musafir Fi Al-Qafar," (Wastefarer) in 2004.

He published his third poetry collection, "Oghaniat Al-Fayafi," (Songs of the Deserts) in 2017.

He is the Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Abdulaziz Saud Albabtain Cultural Foundation in Kuwait.

 

1- The Positions he holds:

• He is the President of the Scientific Board of Members of the Albabtain Cultural Foundation in the European Union, based in Rome, Italy.

• He is the Honorary President of the World Academy of Poetry, based in Verona, Italy.

• He is a member of the Kuwait National Committee for Supporting Education.

• He is a member of the Kuwaiti Writers Association.

• He is a member of the Board of Trustees of the Arab Cultural Forum in Beirut.

• He is a member of the Cultural Association Fes-Saiss in Morocco.

• He is a Correspondent Member of the Arab Language Academy in Damascus.

• He is a Member of the Board of Trustees of the Arab Thought Foundation and one of its founders.

• He is a Member of the Board of Trustees of the Arabian Gulf University in Bahrain.

• He is a Member of the Board of Trustees of the College of Arts - Kuwait University.

• He is the Honorary President of the Kuwaiti Libraries and Information Association.

• He is a Member of the Chancellor’s Court of Benefactors at the University of Oxford in the UK.

• He is a Member of the Chancellor’s Fund at the University of Stirling in Scotland.

 

 

2 - Honorary Doctorate Degrees:

          The Honorary Doctorate is considered one of the highest forms of academic recognition, and poet Abdulaziz Saud Albabtain has been awarded 17 honorary doctorates from a number of prestigious universities in recognition of his cultural and humanitarian work, as well as his efforts in promoting peace and cultural dialogue. These universities include:

1. The University of Tashkent, Uzbekistan in 1995.

2. The University of Baku, Azerbaijan in 2000.

3. The Yarmouk University, Jordan in 2001.

4. The University of GOI, Kyrgyzstan in 2002 in Humanities.

5. The Kyrgyz-Kuwaiti University in 2002 in Humanities.

6. An honorary diploma (equivalent to a Ph.D.) from the Social Progressive Union of Women in Kyrgyzstan in the field of supporting friendship between peoples on 26/4/2002.

7. The University of Algiers in 2005.

8. The Sidi Mohamed bin Abdullah University in Fes in 2006 for his creative contributions and efforts in the fields of culture and the promotion of intercultural dialogue.

9. The University of Khartoum, Sudan in 2007.

10. Al-Farabi  National  University  in  Kazakhstan in 2009.

11. The University of Córdoba in 2013 in recognition of his scientific and cultural efforts in Andalusia and its universities. This is the first honorary doctorate to be offered by the University of Cordoba to an Arab figure.

12. The University of Tehran, the Islamic Republic of Iran in 2014 in recognition of his cultural efforts. He is the first Arab figure to receive this certificate.

13. The University of Kuwait in 2015 in recognition of his scientific and cultural efforts for more than 25 years.

14. The Academy of Arts in Egypt, in 2015 as an influential icon in the Arab cultural life.

15. The University of Sterling, Scotland in 2017, in recognition of his outstanding contribution to creative writing and poetry, and his exceptional profile as a humanitarian and philanthropist in driving forward an agenda for peace and better intercultural relations and understanding.

16. The Mediterranean University of Albania, Malta, 2022, in recognition of his contributions to the peace and future of humanity, with the presence of HE. President of Albania, Ilir Meta.

17. He  received  the  Honorary  Doctorate  from Yerevan State University at the Republic of Armenia in appreciation for his charity contributions and his promotion of the Culture of Peace in the world. He received this doctorate in accordance with the resolution No. 4/12 issued by the Scientific Council of Yerevan State University on December 19th, 2022.

 

3 - Awards and Accolades

          The poet Abdulaziz Saud Albabtain has received numerous prestigious medals, shields, and awards in recognition of his efforts in the field of culture in Arab and international forums, including:

1. The Tunisian Order of Cultural Merit from the President of Tunisia, for his efforts in the cultural sphere, 1996.

2. The Order of Independence of the first class from HM King of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, 2001.

3. The State Award from the National Council of Culture, Arts and Letters in Kuwait, 2002.

4. The National Order of the Cedar (Officer Grade) from the President of the Republic of Lebanon, 2004.

5. The Gold Medal of Excellence from the Arab League Educational, Cultural and Scientific Organization (ALECSO), 2004, during the closing session of the 14th Conference of the Arab Cultural Ministers at the Republican Palace in Sana’a, (the capital of Yemen). He is the first Arab businessman to receive this honour.

6. The Kuwait Order of the Sash (First Degree) from HH the late Amir of Kuwait, Shaikh Jabir Al-Ahmad Al-Jabir Al-Sabah, in recognition of his outstanding efforts in literature and culture, which benefit Kuwait’s reputation nationally,  regionally  and  internationally, 2005.

7. The Gold Medal of Science, Literature and Arts from the President of the Republic of Sudan, 2005

8. The Knight Order from the President of Italy Giorgio Napolitano in appreciation of his efforts in the fields of culture and dialogue of civilizations, 2009.

9. The High-Level Order of Civil Merit from the King of Spain Juan Carlos in recognition of his cultural efforts in Andalusia, 2009, which resulted in the decision of the Andalusian government to teach the Arabic language in its schools in the same year.

10. The Thomas Aquinas Cultural Award, which is awarded by the University of Cordoba to international prominent figures, in recognition of his academic contributions to the University and the Andalusian civilization, 2010.

11. A prestigious order from the Ruler of Ajman, HH Shaikh Hameed bin Rashid Al-N’aimy, in recognition of his community outreach efforts in the fields of education, culture and poetic creativity, 2010.

12. The “University of Sarajevo Golden Badge”, 2010, in recognition of his efforts in the inter-civilizations dialogue. He is the third to receive this badge after Mahathir bin Mohamad –former Prime Minister of Malaysia- and Recep Tayyip Erdoğan – President of Turkey.

13. The Order of Honor with the rank of Commander, in the form of the Green Lunar Crescent from the President of the Republic of Comoros, Dr. Ikililou Dhoinine, 2011.

14. The Maltese Parliament Medal of Honor from HE President of the Parliament Mr. Michael Frendo, as an appreciation for his efforts in intercultural dialogue, in 2011.

15. The High-Level International Distinction Medal from the International Waldenberg College, UK, in 2012.

16. The State of Palestine Order of Culture, Science, and Arts (Creative Level) awarded by His Excellency President Mahmoud Abbas in 2014, in recognition of his charitable contributions in support of the Palestinian people and their just cause.

17. The “Totem for Peace” 2015 from the “Fondazione Mediterraneo” based in Naples, Italy, which has been awarded in past years to a number of global figures who have received Nobel prizes in various fields.

18. The Presidential Order of Merit in Social Responsibility" at the highest level of excellence from His Excellency President Omar Hassan Al-Bashir, President of the Republic of Sudan, during the ceremony held by the Second Regional Meeting of International Ambassadors for Social Responsibility in 2015 in Khartoum.

19. The National Order of Cultural Merit, the Highest Class, from President Beji Caid Essebsi of Tunisia, in recognition of his cultural efforts around the world in promoting a culture of love and peace, in 2016.

20. Legion of Honor given by President Marcelo Rebalo de Sousa President of the Republic of Portugal, in appreciation for his role in spreading the culture of peace around the world, and for his efforts to achieve communication between peoples of the world for the year 2018.

21. The Albanian “Order of the Flag” from his Excellency Ilir Meta, the then-President of the Republic of Albania, in appreciation of his efforts in spreading the Culture of Just Peace, June 30th, 2022.

 

4- Other Tributes:

In recognition to his efforts in promoting and supporting the fields of culture, poetry, literature and intercultural dialogue, Poet Abdulaziz Saud Albabtain has been honoured in various forms and by different institutions, including:

1- The Monday meeting (Ithnainia) of Sheikh Abdul Maqsoud Khoja in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia celebrated him on 21/02/2000.

2- The Mass communication Department - Kuwait University has chosen him in 2000, “Personality of the year “.

3-  Received  an  honorary  diploma  from  the Progressive  Social  Union  for  Women  in Kyrgyzstan  for  his  efforts  in  supporting friendship between peoples on 26/04/2002.

4- The Monday meeting (Ithnainia) of Sheikh Mohammad Bin Saleh Al-Naeem in Al-Ahsa, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia celebrated him on 29/12/2003.

5- He was honoured by Al-Arabi magazine at its annual seminar in Kuwait, for his cultural endeavors, 2003.

6- He was celebrated by the 36th Cairo International Book Fair, 27/01/2004.

7-  He  was  celebrated  in  Beirut,  by Al-Hariri Charitable Foundation and the Arab Cultural Club, on 21/02/2004.

8- He was honoured by Sheikh Mohammad bin Ali bin Eid Al-Khater, in an honorary celebration held in the town of Jubail, Saudi Arabia, on 16/03/2004.

9-  The  University  of  Kuwait  honoured  him  on “Kuwait’s  Writers  Day”  in  recognition  of  his cultural and humanitarian contributions, April 2004.

10- Journalist Mohammad Reda Nasrallah held an honorary ceremony to him in Qatif, Saudi Arabia on 18/11/2004.

11- The Centre for Studies and Research in Sana’a (the capital of Yemen) awarded him its shield on 02/12/2004, in the presence of then Yemeni Minister of Higher Education, Dr Abdulwahab Raweh  and  the  President  of  the  Centre,  Dr. Abdulaziz Al- Maqaleh.

12- The Yemeni Minister of Culture and Tourism, at that time, Mr.  Khaled Al-Ruwaishan,  awarded  him  the “Souvenir  of  Sana’a,  the  Capital  of Arab Culture,” in 2004.

13- Makassed Islamic Charitable Association of Sidon, South Lebanon, granted him an honorary shield on 15/06/2005.

14- He was honored at the 22nd Congress of the “International Writers' Union” in the city of Lahti, Finland, from 18-21/6/2005, where he was a guest of honor. A poetry evening was held on his honor, and selections of his poetry were translated into Finnish and English.

15- He was honoured by the University of Molise in Campobasso in southern Italy, on 28/07/2005.

16- He was honoured at a cultural festival hosted by Sheikh Abdullah Bin Abdulmohsen Al-Madi in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia on 10/12/2005.

17- He was honored by Mr. Fouad Siniora, the former Lebanese Prime Minister, in the presence of Dr. Tarek Mitri, the-then Minister of Culture, as an appreciation for his donation of ten thousand books to the project of rehabilitating the Lebanese National Library, as an expression of admiration for all that he has been doing in the service of culture, poetry, and creativity in the Arab world, on 30/6/2006.

18-  He  was  invited  and  honoured  through  a cultural evening held at the Opera House in Cairo on 16/05/2007.

19- He was honoured by the Tunisian Writers Union for being a prominent figure in contemporary Arabic poetry and for his substantial efforts to promote Arabic poetry, 23/06/2007.

20- Honoured by Al-Sharq Newspaper, in January 2008, at the Kuwaiti Creativity Festival for 2007.

21- Honoured by the “Lisan Al-Arab Association” at the 14th International Arab League Conference in November 2007.

22- Honoured by “Arabian Business Magazine”, on 16/12/2007, he also was awarded its prize in (Social Responsibility), in recognition of his initiatives in this field. The magazine is published by the ITP Group for Publishing & Information Technology.

23- On December 24th, 2007, he was awarded the “Golden Key of Yazd University” in Iran, in recognition of his role in organizing Arabic language and poetry appreciation courses in a number of Iranian universities.

24- The Monday meeting (Ithnainia) of Sheikh Othman Al-Saleh,  celebrated  him  in  Riyadh, Saudi Arabia in 2008.

25- Received a shield from the University of Alexandria (Egypt) in recognition of his contributions in Arabic poetry in general and the University of Alexandria in particular, 17/04/2008.

26- He has been granted a premium membership at Al-Washm Club in Shaqraa, Saudi Arabia, 2008.

27- The Minister of Information in Kuwait awarded him a commemorative shield on 15/04/2009.

28- Honoured by the Suez Canal University for his leading role in serving the Arabic language, culture and poetry, April 2009.

29-  Honored  by  “Al-Ahsa  Literary  Club”, Saudi Arabia,  on 25/11/2009,  in  the  presence  of  a  group  of regional poets and intellectuals.

30- The Medical Association of Kuwait has chosen him its Emeritus President on 14/02/2010.

31-  Selected  “The  Emeritus  President”  of  the Arabic  Literature  Club  of  the  American University of Kuwait on 23/02/2010.

32- The Arab Media Forum in Kuwait honored him by awarding him the “Media Creativity Award (Cultural Mobilization Award for Media)” under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Nasser Al-Mohammad Al-Sabah, the-then Prime Minister of Kuwait, on 25/4/2010.

33- Granted the citizenship of the Republic of the Comoros in a ceremony attended by His Excellency  the  President  of  the  Republic; Ahmed Abdullah Sambi, and His Excellency the President of the Parliament; Burhan Hamed, in recognition of his role in the Arabization and the dissemination of the Arabic language in the Republic of the Comoros, on 12/9/2010.

34- He was honored by the Qatari Ministry of Culture by awarding him the "Doha Capital of Arab Culture Shield", which was presented to him by Mr. Saleh Al-Ghareeb on 21/10/2010 during the twelfth session of the Foundation held in the city of Sarajevo.

35- He was awarded the “Tatarstan Cap” by Ms. Zilia Valeeva, Minister of Culture and Deputy Prime Minister of the Republic of Tatarstan on 21/2/2011. (The Tatarstan Cap is a traditional Tatar headwear, which is usually made of fur and decorated with embroidery or gold thread. It is a symbol of Tatar culture and heritage, and it is often given as a gift to important and prominent figures visiting the Republic of Tatarstan.)

36- The center of Arrawdah of Sudair in Saudi Arabia, honoured him on the occasion of the Center’s Annual Award in 12/5/2011.

37- Named Honorary President and member of the Supreme Council of the Governing Body of the World Poetry Academy, which is based in the Italian city of Verona, succeeding the world-renowned poet Leopold Senghor (11 June 2011).

38- He also received the honorary citizenship of Verona (Italy).

39-  Food  and  Agriculture  Organization  (FAO) awarded him its Honourary Medal for his role in protecting the environment in the area of Shait in 11/6/2011.

40- The longest main street in the Province of Mbeni, north of the Comoros, is named after Abdulaziz Saud Albabtain.

41- The European Parliament honored him in the Belgian capital Brussels in recognition of his role in promoting dialogue among civilizations and peoples, in the presence of the Deputy First Vice President of Parliament, Giovanni Pittella on 20/12/2011.

42-  Honoured  by  Kuwait  Blind  Association  for his role in the service of social and cultural life (20/12/2011).

43-Honored by the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor (USA) in appreciation of his efforts in the dialogue of civilizations and intercultural understanding, within a big celebration held by its Department of Near Eastern Studies for this occasion, 16 April 2012.

44- He received the “Poetry Cloak (Burdah)” and the “Shield of the Land of a Million Poets” from the Foundation of Chinguetti for Culture and Development on 28/4/2012.

45-  Named  “Ambassador  of  Goodwill”  and “Personality of the Year 2012” by the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC) in the USA, in recognition of his global cultural initiatives and efforts to foster creative arts, as well as his significant contributions in the field of education and his leading role in forging dialogue between civilizations. A celebration was held on this occasion on 22 February 2013, he was awarded certificates of recognition from:

  - The Congressman; John D. Dingell.

  -  Gary  Woronchak;  the  Chairman  of  Wayne County Commission.

  - George T. Darany; Michigan State Representative (the Fifteenth District).

  - Morris W. Hood; Michigan State Senator (The Third District)

  - Rick Snyder (Michigan Governor), for his cultural, humanitarian, poetic and educational initiatives.

  - John Conyers, Jr.; Member of Congress (13th District of Michigan)

  - US Senator; Carl Levin.

  - Robert A. Ficano; Wayne County Executive.

  - Mayor of Dearborn; John B. O’Reilly, Jr.

  - US. Senator; Debbie Stabenow

46- Honoured by the Mohamed V University in Rabat (Morocco) which held a literary seminar to discuss his poetry in his two collections of poems: “Bauh Al-Bawadi” (Intimations of the deserts) and  “Musafir  fi  Al-Qifar”  (Wastefarer)  (30-31 May 2013). The University also decided to set the 30th of May as an annual ceremony to honour Kuwaiti poet Abdulaziz Saud Albabtain for his efforts in the fields of poetry and dialogue of civilizations.

47- The Foundation of the “Arab house”, in Madrid (Spain), celebrated him on 8/11/2013.

48-  Honoured  by  the  University  of  Chinguetti  in Mauritania  on  13/11/2013  and  was  awarded  the “University  Shield”  in  recognition  of  his  efforts  to preserve the poetry in Chinguetti region through the Albabtain Encyclopedias and other outstanding work to preserve the heritage of the great figures of Chinguetti.

49- Honoured by the House of Wisdom in Iraq at a cultural symposium held on 24/11/2013 at Albabtain Central Library for his leading role in serving Arab culture and Arabic language.

50- He received the “Arab Federation for Libraries and Information Award for Supporting Libraries and Cultural Activities for the year 2013” from the Arab Federation for Libraries and Information in Medina, Saudi Arabia on 26/11/2013.

51- Honoured by the Kuwait Writers Association for his intensive and ongoing efforts to promote Arab culture and the Arabic language at the nationally and internationally, on 23 December 2013 and again on 5 October 2016.

52- Honored by His Excellency Sheikh Faisal Al-Humoud Al-Malik Al-Sabah, the Governor of Al-Farwaniyah, who presented him with the Al-Sabah Family Tree during the opening ceremony of the Foundation’s Abu Tammam Al-Ta'i Session held in Marrakech, Kingdom of Morocco, on 21-23/10/2014.

53- Selected as the “Literary and Cultural Personality of the Year 2014” at the Annual Creatives Festival in Kuwait on 2/12/2014.

54- Honored by the Albabtain family in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, in the region of Rawdat Sudair, on the occasion of the 25th anniversary of the establishment of the Abdulaziz Saud Albabtain Prize for Poetic Creativity on 5/12/2014.

55- Honored by the President of the Lebanese Bar Association, who presented him with the Shield of the Association as a tribute to his cultural achievements, at the building of the Albabtain Central Library for Arab Poetry on 27/1/2015.

56- Chosen as the “Guest of Honor” by the Arab League Educational, Cultural and Scientific Organization (ALECSO), the Egyptian Ministry of Culture, and Al-Ahram Foundation in the Arab Republic of Egypt, in the festival of the "Arab Day of Poetry" held in Cairo on the 21st and 22nd of March 2015.

57- Honored by “Nisf Al-Dunya” magazine, issued by Al-Ahram Foundation, the media sponsor of the First Arab Poetry Day Festival held in Cairo on 21st and 22nd March 2015. He was presented with their “Honorary Shield” in a grand ceremony, in recognition of his role and contributions in preserving Arab poetry and enriching culture across the Arab world.

58- Honored by the Association of Members of the Training Faculty for Applied Colleges at the Public Authority for Applied Education and Training (PAAET) in the State of Kuwait, in recognition of his efforts and accomplishments in supporting culture, poetry, literature, and intercultural dialogue on 28th April 2015.

59- Honored by the "Poetry Forum" in the city of Baakline, Lebanon, in recognition of his cultural role and contributions in the field of poetry and literature. The attendees planted a cedar tree bearing the name of the poet Abdulaziz Saud Albabtain in celebration of him on 2nd May 2015.

60- Selected as an “Honorary Member” of the Eternal Cedar Forest Company in Lebanon on 2nd May 2015.

61- Honored by the Egyptian Judges Club as “one of the most influential Arab figures who have impacted the cultural movement in the Arab world and preserved it”, during the Club's celebration of the Egyptian Judiciary Day. The event was attended by the-then Egyptian Minister of Justice, senior advisors, and judges in Egypt on 15th January 2016.

62- Selected by the Arab League Educational, Cultural and Scientific Organization (ALECSO) as an “Ambassador of Goodwill in the Field of Culture”, during the launch of its program 'Ambassadors of Goodwill.' The ceremony took place in the presence of His Excellency the-then Tunisian President, Beji Caid Essebsi, the-then Secretary-General of the Arab League, Dr. Nabil Elaraby, the Director-General of ALECSO, Dr. Abdullah Mohareb, as well as several ministers, ambassadors, and Arab cultural figures on 1st March 2016.

63- The Cultural Salon of the Embassy of the State of Kuwait in Cairo named him the “Honorary President of the Salon”, in recognition of his pioneering role in promoting and serving poetry and literature on 10th May 2016.

64- Honored on 10th July 2016 by the Kuwaiti Aircraft Engineering and Pilots Association (KAEPA) in recognition of his efforts and support to the association.

65- The famous and venerable chair dedicated to the study of Arabic at the esteemed University of Oxford, known as “Laudian Chair in Arabic”, which was established in 1636 by William Laud, the-then Chancellor of the  University and Archbishop of Canterbury, was renamed “Abdulaziz Saud Albabtain-Laudian Chair in Arabic” in recognition of Albabtain’s generous donation to the Chair's activities for life, during a grand ceremony held by the University of Oxford on September 15, 2016.

66- On September 21, 2016, a distinguished ceremony took place at Albabtain Central Library for Arabic Poetry, where the esteemed “Gold Medal of the Republic of Kazakhstan” was conferred upon Mr. Abdulaziz Saud Albabtain. His Excellency, the Ambassador of Kazakhstan to the State of Kuwait, had the honor of presenting this esteemed accolade, recognizing Albabtain’s remarkable endeavors in promoting Arabic culture and literature, his significant contributions to the fostering of cultural exchange and amicable relations between Kazakhstan and the State of Kuwait, as well as his noteworthy contributions in the education of Kazakhstani students within a number of esteemed institutions of higher education and Arab universities, which was acknowledged during the same occasion.

67- Honoured  by  Kuwait  Public  Relations Association  with  the  “Shield  of  Role  Model Initiative”,  in  appreciation  for  his  role  in supporting the cultural movement in Kuwait, 18/10/2016.

68- Honored by the International Laayoune Festival of Poetry, organized by  province of Saguia El-Hamra in cooperation with Sidi Mohamed Ben Abdellah University in  Fez, under the auspices of His Majesty King Mohammed VI, on November 4th and 5th, 2016, in the city of Laayoune, Kingdom of Morocco. This recognition was bestowed upon him in appreciation of his contribution to enriching Arabic culture and his extensive endeavors in serving language and poetry.

69- Honoured by Isa Cultural Centre in Bahrain, for his pioneering role in the dissemination of the Arabic culture, poetry and literature in the international forums, 08/11/2016.

70- Bestowed with the title of " Commissioner of the United Nations for Advocating the Sustainable Development Goals for the year 2016" by the Supreme Committee of the Oman Conference on Social Responsibility, which took place in the city of Salalah in collaboration with the United Nations Sustainable Development Programme. Furthermore, he was honored with the "Golden Award" for his role in the programmes of community service and social responsibility nationally and internationally, 20/12/2016.

71- A special seminar was held in his honor on the occasion of the inauguration of the Sheikh Jaber Al-Ahmad Cultural Center, titled "Poet Abdulaziz Saud Albabtain: Social and Cultural Biography." The seminar was attended by prominent Kuwaiti figures on January 8, 2017.

72- Honored by His Excellency the Governor of Hawalli during the Excellence Award Ceremony of Hawalli Governorate in Kuwait for the year 2017, held on February 15, 2017.

73- Awarded the "Distinguished Global Leadership Humanitarian Work Award" by the National Council on U.S.-Arab Relations in Washington, D.C., in recognition of his contributions to global welfare, continuous support for Arabic poetry, and his cultural and educational initiatives worldwide. The award was presented to him by the President of the National Council on U.S.-Arab Relations during a ceremony held at the International Peace Institute in New York, on the sidelines of the High-Level Forum of the United Nations General Assembly on September 7, 2017.

74- Awarded the “Key to the City of Fez in Morocco” during a great ceremony held on January 27, 2018, in recognition of all the efforts and contributions for the enrichment of cultural life in the Kingdom of Morocco. The Key to the City was received from the mayor of the city of Fez Idris Al-Azmi, in presence of the Ambassador  of  Kuwait  to Morocco, Moroccan officials as well as a number of  academics,  writers,  intellectuals,  poets  and journalists.

75- Honored by the Moroccan  Ministry  of Culture on January 27, 2018, and awarded a commemorative shield, which he received from Mr. Hamid Zakaria, Inspector General of the Ministry of Culture on behalf of the Minister of Culture, Mr. Mohammed Al-A’raj. This award was in recognition of his efforts to serve the Arab culture and spread the values of dialogue and coexistence among cultures.

76- Honored by “House of Palestine for Poetry” by giving him a commemorative shield on  April 23, 2018, in recognition of the great efforts in spreading culture. The award was also given on the occasion of the publication of “Al-Quds: A Collection of Poems (Diwan)” by the Foundation.

77- Honored by the "Palestine House for Poetry" by presenting him with a commemorative shield, which was presented by the General Director on April 23, 2018, in recognition of his significant efforts in promoting culture in various fields, as well as on the occasion of the Foundation’s publication of the "Diwan Al-Quds" poetic collection.

78-  Awarded a commemorative shield by the Deputy Chief of the Kuwaiti Amiri Diwan for the Affairs of the Ruling Family, H.E Sheikh Sabah Nasser Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah at a ceremony held at the House of Lords in London in March 2018, honoring the philanthropic figures. Abdulaziz Saud Albabtain delivered a speech before the Council on behalf of all the honored figures at the event.

79- Honoured by Damanhur University in Egypt, which awarded him the University’s Honorary Shield on 11/6/2019. He was given the Shield by the Rector of the University, Dr. Obaid Saleh, after discussing a master’s thesis of researcher Amal  Faris  Al-Rumaisy  at  the  University’s Faculty of Arts entitled “Diwan Oghniyat Al-Fayafi”, which is a poetic diwan written by the poet Abdulaziz Saud Albabtain.

80- Selected as the “Festival’s Personality” by “Al-Qurain  Cultural  Festival”,  in  its  twenty-sixth session, which started from January 8th to January 25th, 2020. On January 18th, 2020, he was honoured by being awarded an honorary shield in appreciation of his great efforts in serving both the Arab and World Culture.

81- Honoured by the President of Damanhur University in Egypt, by awarding him the “University Shield” on December 7, 2022. The honorary shield was received by Mr. Abdulrahman Khaled Albabtain on his behalf from the Chargé d’Affaires of the Faculty of Arts at the University, Professor Dr. Wafdi Abu Al-Nadhar.

82- Honoured by His Royal Highness Prince Khaled Al-Faisal, Advisor to the Custodian of the Two Holly Mosques,  Governor  of  Makkah  Al-Mukarramah  and Chairman of the Council of the Academy of Arab Poetry on December 14, 2022 for winning the “Abdullah Al-Faisal Award for Arabic Poetry” in its fourth season 2022 for the best sung poem for his poem titled “I will not forget you”, which was performed by the artist Walaa Al-Jindi, while the ceremony of honouring him took place in Jeddah’s Super Dome, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

83- Selected by the Kuwaiti Association for Arabic Language to be its Honorary President on December 26, 2022, in recognition of his prominent status in the cultural and literary circles in Kuwait and the Arab world, and for his role in nurturing poetic creativity, particularly in the field of poetry, and his contributions to the cultural sphere in general.

84- Honoured by The Kuwaiti Association for Arabic  Language  on  February  6th,  2023 by presenting him  the  “Association Shield”. This took place during a ceremony  held  by the Association at the National Library under the auspices of Her Excellency Kuwaiti Minister of Social Affairs, Eng. Mai Al-Baghli, and the Chairman of the Association’s Board of Directors, Dr. Amaal Barrak Al-Awaad, and in the presence of the  members of the Association’s Board of Directors in addition to distinguished audience.

 

 

5- His contributions to enhancing the cultural, educational, and humanitarian landscape:

Abdulaziz Saud Albabtain grew up in a family that passionately valued knowledge, literature, and poetry. His family, generation after generation, pursued education and knowledge passionately; his father was a poet who wrote Nabati poetry (which is known as Bedouin poetry), his paternal uncle was a judge, whereas his maternal uncle was the great grandchild of the famous Arab poet Mohamed bin Laaboun, so Abdulaziz developed a love for poetry and literature from his early childhood. Despite his inclination towards business and despite the remarkable success and fame he achieved in that field, culture and literature continued to occupy a prominent position in his priorities, poetry in particular, once considered “Register of the Arabs and of their Achievements and Glories”. Furthermore, his commitment to education manifested in the establishment of the Saud Albabtain Kuwaiti Scholarship for Postgraduate Studies in the mid-1970s.

In the late 1980s, with the waning of the literary movement in the Arab world and its significant decline, particularly in poetic creativity, poet Abdulaziz Saud Al-Babtain contemplated the service of literature and poetry, as well as the recognition and honoring of writers and poets. Faced with this cultural landscape, Albabtain took it upon himself to establish the following:

A- In the Fields of Culture and Literature:

I- Abdulaziz Saud Albabtain Cultural Foundation

The poet and entrepreneur Abdulaziz Saud Albabtain fulfilled a lifelong dream that had accompanied him since his youth. He materialized his passion for cultural work by establishing the "Abdulaziz Saud Albabtain Prize for Poetic Creativity," a non-profit private cultural foundation exclusively dedicated to poetry. Its core objectives revolve around enriching the movement of Arab poetry, poetic criticism, and fostering communication among poets and poetry enthusiasts. Its establishment was announced in 1989 in Cairo, the Capital of Arab Culture, Art, and Creativity. The Foundation bestows honorary and incentive awards upon creative poets and poetry critics, in addition to publishing literary works of the poets honored and celebrated during its successive sessions. Over time, the Foundation expanded its activities and inaugurated regional offices in Tunis, Amman, and Kuwait, in addition to its main headquarters in Cairo.

The Foundation did not confine itself to those boundaries; rather, it expanded and assumed a role in supporting the translation movement, intercultural and dialogue of civilizations, thus becoming global. In 2015, the “Abdulaziz Saud Albabtain Prize for Poetic Creativity” was restructured after the expansion of its activities, leading to its transformation into its current name "Abdulaziz Saud Albabtain Cultural Foundation."

The following is a brief overview of the activities undertaken by the Foundation throughout its journey spanning over 34 years:

- Since its establishment, the Foundation has organized 17 sessions in Arab and foreign countries, with the participation and presence of a distinguished group of poets, writers, intellectuals, statesmen, politicians, press and media, and enthusiasts of the poetic movement. These sessions celebrated and honored some of the most prominent poets throughout different eras, including Ibn Zaidoun, Abu Tammam Al-Ta'i, Abu Firas Al-Hamdani, Ali ibn Al-Muqarrab Al-Ayouni, Prince Abdul Qadir Al-Jazairi, Ahmed Shawqi, Mahmoud Sami Al-Baroudi, Abu Al-Qasim Al-Shabi, Ahmed Mashari Al-Adwani, Khalil Mutran, Ibrahim Touqan, Al-Akhtal Al-Saghir, Mehmed Alija Dizdar from Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Lamartine from France. In addition to these sessions, seminars were convened by the Foundation dedicated to promoting dialogue among civilizations and intercultural coexistence, in order to present the accurate intellectual, cultural, and civilizational image of the Arabs and Muslims.

- The Foundation also held seven literary forums and an annual poetry festival, the “Spring of Arabic Poetry festival”, initiated by poet Abdulaziz Saud Albabtain for the first time in 2008 to keep pace with the UNESCO’s designation of March 21st as “World Poetry Day”. This festival has been held for twelve editions to date; each one celebrated two Arab poets and was attended by hundreds of poets from all over the Arab World.

- These sessions, forums, and festivals are accompanied by the publication of numerous specialized books in poetry, criticism, intercultural dialogue, and translations, totaling over four hundred publications.

- Albabtain Encyclopedias for Poets are one of the most notable achievements of the Foundation and poet Abdulaziz Albabtain. These Encyclopedias, published in several volumes and editions, document the different stages, and serve as the most important record that documents the names of Arab poets or poets of the Arabic language. Just as poetry was historically known as the “Register of the Arabs”, documenting their achievements and glories, these Albabtain Encyclopedias are the “Register of Poets” throughout different eras.

- At the forefront is the “Albabtain’s Encyclopedia of Contemporary Arab Poets”, which has been published in three editions. Its first edition was released in 1995 and it included 1640 poets. Its second edition was released in 2002. Its third edition that included 2514 poets was released in 2014. Moreover, efforts are currently underway to publish the fourth edition.

- The second Encyclopedia is “Albabtain’s Encyclopedia of Arabic Poets in the 19th and 20th Centuries”, published in 2008 in 25 volumes with 9518 poets.

- The third Encyclopedia is "Albabtain Encyclopedia of Arab Poets in the Era of States and Emirates (656-1215 AH/1258-1800 CE)," which was released in 2019 in 25 volumes, and documents the poets of five centuries (9462 poets).

- The fourth Encyclopedia, which is about to be published soon, is “Albabtain Encyclopedia of Arab Poets in the Abbasid Era”.

- The  Foundation  has  also  made contributions  to  activities in several fields and different cultural events, including: “Diwan Al-Arab Contest”, an annual poetry contest in cooperation with Sawt-al-Arab radio station in Cairo, Egypt.

- Additionally, the Foundation has produced special publications such as the poem "Epic of the Arabs," which was released in 2017 and initiated by the poet Abdulaziz Saud Albabtain, where he composed several poetic verses addressing peace, denouncing violence and sectarianism, and portraying the true image of the noble Islamic religion. Through this initiative, Mr. Abdulaziz extended an invitation to all Arab poets to participate in this poetic epic, which was named "Epic of the Arabs for Peace", involved the collaboration of 113 Arab poets, who collectively composed 4,000 verses, and was translated into English and printed in October 2017.

- The Foundation is always attending and participating remarkably in the celebrations of the selected Arab and Islamic cultural capitals, including the celebration of Kuwait as the Arab Capital of Culture in 2001 and the Capital of Islamic Culture in 2016.

II- Abdulaziz Saud Albabtain’s Prize for Imam Al-Bukhari’s Grandchildren

Poet Abdulaziz Saud Albabtain paid special attention to Central Asia, so he established the “Abdulaziz Saud Albabtain’s Prize for Imam Al-Bukhari’s Grandchildren”, named after one of the most renowned scholars of “Hadith” (record of the traditions or sayings of the Prophet Muhammad). This prize (worth of USD 100,000) aims to reaffirm the authentic cultural ties between the Arab nation and newly independent Islamic countries of Central Asia, following the dissolution of the Soviet Union. This prize is dedicated to emphasizing the cultural and civilizational outcome and achievements resulting from the interaction between Arab thought and the ideas of scholars from those countries through Islam.

III- Albabtain Central Library for Arabic Poetry in Kuwait

This library serves as a cultural landmark housing the most important works on Arab and Islamic poetic and cultural heritage. It encompasses thousands of valuable and rare books, journals, manuscripts, and over 4,685 academic theses, in addition to modern electronic services.

It was presented by Abdulaziz Saud Albabtain as a gift on the occasion of Kuwait being chosen as the “Capital of Arab Culture” in 2001. It was dedicated to the people of Kuwait, the Arab nation, and all Arabic language readers in general. The foundation stone was laid during a ceremony on January 6, 2002, and the library was officially inaugurated on April 8, 2006, under the gracious patronage of His Highness Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, the late Amir of the State of Kuwait. It is considered the world's first library dedicated to Arab poetry.

IV- Albabtain Center for Authenticating Poetic Manuscripts

In the year 2007, as a continuation of the poet Abdulaziz Saud Albabtain's aspirations and ambitions regarding Arab poetry, he embarked upon the establishment of a center with the objective of authenticating manuscripts or compiled volumes of poetry and publishing heritage books in which poetry serves as the principal material. These publications are presented in fully authenticated scholarly editions. To date, the center has released numerous poetic collections, encompassing the works of poets whose verses have remained concealed for centuries.

V- Albabtain Translation Center

The interests of poet Abdulaziz Saud Albabtain were of no limit and were not dedicated to Arabic poetry alone, but also to Arabic Culture as a whole. In 2005, he established a center dedicated to languages of other nations, aiming to support the translation movement into Arabic and from Arabic into other languages. To this day, the center has published numerous translations of foreign books addressing scientific culture.

VI- Albabtain Kuwaiti Library in Jerusalem

In support for the people of Jerusalem and Palestine and his advocacy for issues of justice and righteousness, poet Abdulaziz Saud Albabtain's personally established “Albabtain Kuwaiti Library” at the Faculty of Arts, University of Jerusalem, as a means of support for research in Arabic literature and the literary works of other nations. This initiative serves as a window through which Palestinian intellectuals can access the publications of their fellow intellectuals and Arab scholars outside of Palestine.

VII- Albabtain Kuwaiti Award for Arabic Poetry in Palestine

Poet Abdulaziz Saud Albabtain's care and attention towards the Palestinian youth extended further as he established an award specifically targeted at individuals under the age of 35. This initiative aims to encourage young poets, particularly those residing within the occupied Palestinian territories of 1948, to engage in the composition of poetry.

B- In the Field of Education:

Youth are considered the leaders of the future, and with technological advancements and progress, the difficulties and challenges they face are increasing rapidly, with education being at the forefront of these challenges. The latest reports from UNESCO have revealed that, after 15 years since the launch of the Education for All initiative adopted by 164 countries in 2000, only one-third of countries have achieved the set targets. However, poet Abdulaziz Saud Al-Babtain recognized the importance of education early on, given the nature of his upbringing in a family that valued education and knowledge. His accomplishments in the field of education are as follows:

I- Saud  Albabtain  Kuwaiti  Scholarship  for Postgraduate Studies

Abdulaziz Saud Albabtain established this Scholarship  in 1974 with the aim of disseminating knowledge and providing assistance to students who faced limited opportunities to continue their education. The mission also aimed to encourage talented students to pursue higher studies and obtain doctoral degrees from different universities around the world. The Scholarship  fully covers all expenses for the students throughout their stay.

The Scholarship  offers 400 scholarships annually to students from the Central Asian, African, Arab nations, as well as the Balkan and European countries.

The number of students benefiting from the Scholarship  has reached approximately 8,000 (eight thousand) students so far, including more than 500 (five hundred) Kuwaiti students.

II- Training   Courses   for   Prosody,   Poetry Appreciation and Arabic Language skills

The poet Abdulaziz Saud Albabtain had written his first poem in Classical Arabic at the age of 14 and began to develop his talent through reading the works of prominent Arab poets. This sparked his interest in offering free courses on poetry appreciation, prosody, rhetoric, public speaking, Arabic language skills, and training for radio and media professionals, conducted by specialized instructors in these fields. Since 2011, the Foundation has organized numerous training courses in Kuwait, including courses for the preparation of new broadcasters in collaboration with the Ministry of Information, courses for Arabic language teachers in the Ministry of Education, and courses for teaching Arabic to non-native speakers at the Arab Open University branch in Kuwait.

The organization of such courses was not limited to Kuwait alone, as numerous courses preceded them in various countries within the Arab world and beyond. These courses were initiated in 2000 in collaboration with 57 Arab and foreign universities, with each course spanning a duration of four months. By the year 2015, 580 training courses had been conducted in different regions of the Arab world and the Islamic world, including countries such as Morocco, Tunisia, India, Iran, Pakistan, as well as in France, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Italy, the United States, Mali, Afghanistan, Niger, and Chad. The total number of graduates from these courses reached 24,456 students. Additionally, the Foundation has organized numerous free courses for teaching the Arabic language since 2011 in several European universities, such as in Sicily, Malta, and Spain, based on their request.

Since May 1, 2009, the Foundation has implemented a 15-year program for Arabization and the promotion of the Arabic language in the Comoros. It has organized free Arabic language courses for various academic and popular levels and established the "Abdulaziz Saud Albabtain Department for Training Arabic Language Teachers" at the University of the Comoros. The Foundation continues to Arabize the names of ministries, streets, and public squares, and to write them in Arabic script, with the aim of solidifying the Arabic language in an Arab country.

 

 

III- Abdulaziz   Saud   Albabtain   Center   for Intercultural Dialogue

Poet Abdulaziz Saud Albabtain launched his initiative for intercultural dialogue and peaceful coexistence, realizing that the Abdulaziz Saud Albabtain Cultural Foundation could play a larger role in line with the developments of the era. This role is manifested in fostering dialogue between cultures and civilizations while maintaining the Foundation’s poetic and literary role. Thus, he established this center in Spain in 2005, with the aim of supporting efforts to bring peoples together, fostering dialogue between cultures and religions, and promoting values of understanding, acceptance of others, and peaceful coexistence, as well as presenting a true image of Arabs and Muslims as advocates of peace and love. This center also collaborates with foreign universities in supervising the Abdulaziz Saud Albabtain Chairs for Arab Culture in prestigious universities across the five continents.

The center currently oversees the following activities from its headquarters in Kuwait:

Training Courses for tour guides in Spain

Since his early years, the poet Abdulaziz Saud Albabtain was profoundly influenced by the poetry of Ibn Zaidun, the prominent Andalusian poet. His admiration for Ibn Zaidun's poetry was fervent and profound, and this influence played a pivotal role in the development of Abdulaziz's cultural and intellectual inclinations. Notably, he developed a deep affection for the land of Andalusia, but he became saddened by the dissemination of inaccurate information about Arab-Islamic civilization by tourist guides. Therefore, he took the initiative to establish specialized courses aimed at educating and rectifying the misconceptions held by these guides. Providing full financial support for these courses himself, Abdulaziz sought to present a comprehensive understanding of Arab-Islamic civilization to those tourist guides as well as to foreign tourists, grounded in accurate historical facts about the great Arab-Islamic civilization in Andalusia. Esteemed professors, both from Spain and the Arab world, were entrusted with the task of delivering these training courses.

The first of these courses was organized in 2005 in collaboration with the University of Cordoba. Subsequently, it expanded to include the universities of Granada, Malaga, and Seville. The duration of the course was seven months, during which hundreds of tourist guides graduated. The courses were repeated several times in various regions of Andalusia based on their requests.

Albabtain Chairs for Arabic Culture

The poet Abdulaziz Saud Albabtain believed in the importance of promoting the teaching of Arabic language and disseminating its literature and culture in European countries, so he established the aforementioned training courses, which later evolved into Chairs for Arabic Culture in various universities.

Each Chair offers Arabic language classes for non-native speakers throughout the academic year, culminating in obtaining a certificate in the first level of Arabic language proficiency. It is worth noting that obtaining three certificates enables Arabic language learners to obtain the final certificate in Arabic language proficiency, with the third certificate being the final one.

The Chair also offers monthly lectures dedicated to the topic of “The Influence of Arabic Culture and its Interaction with the Culture of the Host Country of the Chair”.

These Chairs are:

1- Abdulaziz Saud Albabtain Chair for Arabic Culture at the University of Cordoba, Spain, established in 2004.

2- Abdulaziz Saud Albabtain Chair for Arabic Culture at the University of Granada, Spain, established in 2007.

3- Abdulaziz Saud Albabtain Chair for Arabic Culture at the University of Malaga, Spain, established in 2008.

4- Abdulaziz Saud Albabtain Chair for Arabic Culture at the University of Seville, Spain, established in 2009.

5- Abdulaziz Saud Albabtain Chair for Arabic Culture at the University of Nice, France, established in 2010.

6- Abdulaziz Saud Albabtain Chair for Arabic Culture at the University of Roma Tre, Italy, established in 2013.

7- Abdulaziz Saud Albabtain Chair for Arabic Culture at the University of Beijing, China, established in 2015.

8- Abdulaziz Saud Albabtain Chair for Master's Studies at the Autonomous University of Barcelona, Spain, established on July 19, 2016. It is the first master's chair in a European university, and it is the only chair in Europe that exclusively uses the Arabic language as the medium of instruction for the "Master's in Arab Studies" program. The chair is designed for Spanish and European students who wish to conduct research on Arab culture.

9- Abdulaziz Saud Albabtain Laudian Chair in Arabic at the University of Oxford, the United Kingdom. After his generous re-endowment of the oldest Chair in Arabic Language in the University of Oxford and Europe; the Laudian Chair, was named Abdulaziz Saud Albabtain Laudian Chair in Arabic, on September 15, 2016. This chair was established in 1636 by William Laud, who at the time was Chancellor of the University of Oxford and Archbishop of Canterbury.

10- Abdulaziz Saud Albabtain Chair for Arabic Culture at the University of Modern Chinguetti, Mauritania, established in November 2016.

11- Abdulaziz Saud Albabtain Chair for Arabic Culture at the University of Mogadishu, Somalia, established in November 2016.

12- Abdulaziz Saud Albabtain Chair for Arabic Culture at the University of Palermo, Italy. Established in December 2016, after the meeting of Abdulaziz Saud Albabtain with the Mayor of Palermo Leoluca Orlando and the President of the University.

13- Abdulaziz Saud Albabtain Chair for Arab Culture at the University of Sinnar, Sudan, established in December 2016.

14- Abdulaziz Saud Albabtain Chair of the Arabic Culture at the University of Kara, Togo, established in 2017.

15- Abdulaziz Saud Albabtain Chair of the Arabic Culture at the University of N’Djamena, Chad, established in 2017.

16- Abdulaziz Saud Albabtain Chair of the Arabic Culture at the University of Djibouti, Djibouti, established in 2017.

17- Department of Abdulaziz Saud Albabtain for Arabic Language Teacher Preparation at the University of Comoros in the capital, Moroni, established in 2017.

18- Abu Al-Qasim Al-Shabi’s Poetry Chair, which was established in cooperation with the Tunisian Presidency and inaugurated at the City of Culture in Tunis in presence of H.E the president of the Tunisian Republic Béji Caid  Essebsi ,  the Tunisian Minister of Culture, the members of the Kuwaiti-Tunisian Cooperation Council, ambassadors, intellectuals and also poets on  June 29, 2018.

19- Abdulaziz Saud Albabtain Cultural Foundation Visiting Professorship in Arabic Culture at the University of Leiden, Netherlands, established in 2017.

20- Abdulaziz  Saud  Albabtain’s Centre for Arab Culture at the University  of  Yerevan, Armenia,  on  January  08, 2018.

21- Albabtain-Leiden Centre for Arab Culture at the University of Leiden, the Netherlands, inaugurated on  October 10, 2018.

IV- Abdulaziz Saud Albabtain Global Prize for Historical and Cultural Studies of Andalusia

The poet Abdulaziz Saud Albabtain's interests extended beyond the Andalusian cultural heritage, training courses for tour guides, and chairs for Arabic language in various Spanish universities. He, in collaboration with the University of Cordoba, established the "Abdulaziz Saud Albabtain Global Prize for Historical and Cultural Studies of Andalusia," a prize dedicated to the best research and studies that highlights the role of Andalusian villages and cities in the establishment of Arab-Islamic civilization in Andalusia, which have not received their due attention in terms of study and research compared to other Andalusian cities and villages. The prize was set at a value of thirty thousand US dollars, and the Foundation commits to translating all studies and research papers produced by the prize into both Arabic and English at its own expense.

 

V- The Kuwait Center for Arabic and Islamic Studies

This center was established on 27/1/2009 at the College of Imam Shafi'i at the University of Comoros, as a continuation of the Arabization programme launched by Abdulaziz Saud Albabtain to support education and revive the Arabic language in the Comoros Islands, with the aim of making it more accessible and firmly rooted among the students.

VI- Albabtain Institute for Intercultural Dialogue

Poet Abdulaziz Saud Albabtain recognized the urgent need for dialogue and understanding among human beings. Therefore, he established this Institute, headquartered at the University of Roma Tre on 9/11/2012, in collaboration with the Altiero Spinelli  Centre in Italy and the Foundation of Meseuro in Belgium. Through the Master’s programmes, the Institute seeks to promote the culture of dialogue, tolerance and moderation in European and Arab societies as well as among different cultures, civilizations and religions.

VII- Albabtain Fund for Teaching the Arabic Language at the University of Michigan - Ann Arbor, USA

His interest was not limited to teaching and spreading the Arabic language in Europe, Africa, and Central Asian countries, but extended to encompass the entire world. Poet Abdulaziz Saud Albabtain established this fund based on an agreement signed with the President of the University of Michigan to support Arabic language education through regular lectures and various literary and cultural activities. Additionally, the fund provides scholarships for a number of American students to study the Arabic language at Arab universities.

VIII- Albabtain Academy for Arabic Poetry

In pursuit of continuing the training courses in Kuwait and expanding their scope to include all societal segments in Kuwait, poet Abdulaziz Saud Albabtain established Albabtain Academy for Arabic Poetry, which aims to provide free courses in poetry appreciation, the principles of prosody, and the art of recitation. Since January 2017, the Academy has been conducting its activities at Albabtain Central Library for Arabic Poetry both children and youth.

IX- Building Schools and Institutes

He further pursued his interest in education through various means, including making full donations for the establishment of more than 25 schools, colleges, and institutes in several countries, all bearing the name of Kuwait and with the condition of preserving the school's name and teaching the Arabic language. Some notable examples include:

1. Kuwait  Secondary  School  in  Nuzha, Alexandria, Egypt.

2. King Fahad Secondary School in Heliopolis, Cairo, Egypt.

3. Sheikh Jaber Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah Secondary School in Mokattam, Cairo, Egypt.

4. Kuwaiti Moroccan Brotherhood Secondary School in Guelmim, Morocco.

5. Sheikh Mohammad Amin Al-Shanqeeti Secondary School in Basra, Iraq.

6. Kuwait School in Drenka, South Egypt.

7. Kuwaiti Moroccan Friendship School in Marrakech, Morocco.

8. Kuwait School in Kyrgyzstan.

9. Prince Ahmed bin Abdulaziz School in Bamako, Republic of Mali.

10. Kuwait School in Kidal, Republic of Mali.

11. Kuwait School in Quetta, Republic of Pakistan.

12. Kuwait School in Almaty, Kazakhstan.

13. Kuwait School in Karabakh refugee camps, Azerbaijan.

14. Kuwait Algerian Brotherhood School in Aghwat, Algeria.

15. Kuwait School in Qadiati governorate, the Republic of Georgia.

16. Abdulrahman Albabtain Kuwaiti College of Islamic Studies in Shamkent, Kazakhstan.

17. Saud Albabtain Kuwaiti College of Arts at the University of Aligarh, India.

18. Abdulrahman Saud Albabtain Kuwaiti Institutes for Oriental Languages at the University of GOI, Kyrgyzstan.

19. Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah Secondary School in Mongolia.

B- In the Field of Education:

In addition to his interest in poetry, culture, literature, education, and intercultural dialogue, the poet Abdulaziz Saud Al-Babtain also showed special concern for humanitarian work, establishing projects for civil society in several countries, including:

1. The Saud Abdulaziz Albabtain Center for Skin Burns and Cosmetic Surgery in Kuwait, he donated the costs of the building and the equipment to the Ministry of Health. The center offers free services to citizens and residents.

2. The Kuwaiti Medical Center in Hamidieh, South Iran.

3. The Saud Albabtain Wedding Ballroom in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, dedicated to citizens with low income who would like to hold wedding ceremonies, free of charge.

4. The Mutli-Purpose Kuwaiti Cultural Hall in Tulkarem, Palestine.

He also established and renovated many mosques in Arab and Islamic countries. The most recent of these was three mosques in the Republic of Mali, Africa.

6- Books, Studies and Academic Theses on Abdulaziz Saud Albabtain Poetry:

Many researchers have studied the life of poet Abdulaziz Saud Albabtain and his poetry, appreciating his continuous efforts to bring poetry back to the forefront of the creative scene. Their analytical research focused on various critical, thematic, and rhythmic aspects found in his poetry collections and poems. Several books, studies, and research papers have been published, including:

A- Books issued about his poetry:

1. "Critical Studies of the Collection of Poems (Diwan) 'Bawh Al-Bawadi' (Intimations of the Deserts) by Poet Abdulaziz Saud Albabtain," with the complete text of the Diwan, written by a distinguished group of Arab critics and researchers, prepared for publication and introduced by Dr. Fawzi Issa (Egypt), Delta Printing Center, Alexandria, 1996. The book includes the following studies and articles:

• A Dialogue with the Text, Dr. Mostafa Nassef (Egypt), pages 43-90.

• “‘Intimations of the Deserts’ Analytical Study”, Dr. Mohammed Mostafa Haddara (Egypt), pp. 91- 106.

• “Critical issues on ‘Intimations of the Deserts’”, Dr. AbdulMoneim  Khafagui  (Egypt),  pp. 107-122.

• “The Construction of the Poetic Style in ‘Intimations of the Deserts’”, Dr Fawzi Issa (Egypt), pp. 123-142.

• “’Intimations of the Deserts’ - A Reading in the Content and the Influences”, Dr. Ayman Mohammed Maidan, (Egypt), pp. 143 -158.

• “A Reading in ‘Intimations of the Deserts’”, Dr. Nabil Rashad Nofal (Egypt), pp. 159 -164.

• “The Echo of the Poetic Heritage in ‘Intimations of the Deserts’”, Khalifa Al-Khayari (Tunisia), pp. 165- 176.

• “Joud Al-Ghawadi fi Bauh Al Bawadi”, Dr. AbdulMalek Mortadh, (Algeria), pp. 177 - 187.

• “Bauh Al Bawadi” (Intimations of the Deserts), Hamoud Al-Begheli (Kuwait), pp. 191-192, previously published in Al-Qabas newspaper, Issue No. 8025, Wednesday January 25, 1995.

• “Bauh Al Bawadi” (Intimations of the Deserts), Nasser Kermani (Kuwait), page 193, previously published in Al-Qabas newspaper, Issue No. 8096, Friday January5, 1996.

• “Reaching the Harbours of Poetry with a First Collection of Poems” - Faisal Al-Saad (Kuwait), pp. 194-199, previously published in Al-Qabas newspaper.

• "The One with Parallel Characters - Iqbal Al-Gharballi (Kuwait), pp. 200-202. It was previously published in Al-Watan newspaper, issue 7129, on 15/12/1995."

• The Strays of “Poet’s Intimations”, pp. 203-205, previously published in Al-Ahram Newspaper, February 6, 1995.

• “The Diwan of 'Bawh Al-Bawadi' between Romantic Radiance and Interaction with Masterpieces” - by Rawdha Abdel-Lawi (Tunisia), pp. 207-210. It was previously published in Haka'iq Al-Tunisia magazine, issue 518, on 6/10/1995.

• “‘Intimations  of  the  Deserts’ A  New  Collection of Poems”, Hamouda Al-Sharief Karim (Tunisia), pp. 211-219, previously published in the Tunisian Al-Horeya Newspaper, Tunisia, October 19, 1995.

• The Structure of poem in “Intimations of the Deserts”, Hamouda Al-Sharief Karim(Tunisia), pp. 221-230, previously published in Al-Horeya Newspaper, Tunisia, October 26, 1995.

 

1. “Laayoune Forum for Poetry” prepared by Dr. Louise Boulbers, Ministry of Cultural Affairs, Rabat 1997. The book includes the following critical studies presented during a seminar honouring the poet Abdulaziz Saud Albabtain:

• “The Diwan of 'Bawh Al-Bawadi' - A Genuine Emotional Overflow”, by Dr. Mohammed Attazi Saud (Morocco), pp. 115-120."

• “The Time and Place in the Diwan of 'Bawh Al-Bawadi'”, by Dr. Mohammed Sarghini (Morocco), pp. 121-128."

• “'Bawh Al-Bawadi': A Dialogue with the Text”, by Dr. Mustafa Nassef (Egypt), pp. 129-134."

• “The Poeticalness of Remembrance and Retrieval in the Collection 'Bawh Al-Bawadi,'” by Dr. Ahmed At-Taribq (Morocco), (The Memory of Reading/The Reading of the Memory - A Statistical Sequence/A Contrasting Reading - The Dialectics of Time and Place), pp. 135-160.

• "The Significance of Titles in the Collection of Abdulaziz Saud Albabtain”, by Mr. Abdulhakim Al-Subei, pp. 161-171.

• “'Bawh Al-Bawadi': Towards Another Vigilance for Urban Bedouin Poem”, by Dr. Mohammed Ad-Danai (Morocco), pp. 172-194.

• "The Rhythmic Structure in the Poetry of Abdulaziz Saud Albabtain”, by Dr. Mohammed Mustafa Abushawarb (Egypt), pp. 195-202.

 

1. "Literary Movement in Kuwait: The Abdulaziz Saud Albabtain Award for Poetic Creativity and Its Poems as an Exemplar," formatted and reviewed by Dr. Abdullah Bensar Al-Alawi, Sidi Mohammed Ben Abdellah University, Fez, 2006. The book originated from an international scientific seminar held to honor Professor Abdulaziz Saud Albabtain on the occasion of receiving an honorary doctorate from Sidi Mohammed Ben Abdellah University in Fez on December 15, 2006. The book includes critical studies by a group of researchers, including:

• “The Poetic Lexicon of Abdulaziz Saud Albabtain” - Dr. Abdullah Bennaser Al-Alawi (Morocco), pp. 81-95.

• "Subjectivism and the Objectivism in the Poetry of Abdulaziz Albabtain” - Dr. Omar Al-Marrakeshi (Morocco), pp. 96-102.

• “The Poetic Imagery in the Creativity of Abdulaziz Saud Albabtain” - Dr. Mohammed Al-Wasiti (Morocco), p. 103.

• "Graphic Methods in the Poetry of Abdulaziz Saud Albabtain” - Dr. Al-Mufaddil Al-Kaynouni (Morocco), p. 134.

• "An Introduction to the Aesthetics of Meter in Albabtain's Poetry”. Dr. Ali Laghzoui (Morocco), pp. 149-162."

• “The Aesthetics of Rhyme in Abdulaziz Albabtain's Poetry: A Case Study of his Collection 'Musafer Fi Al-Qifar'”. Dr. Mohammed Aldinai (Morocco), pp. 163-179.

• “In the Realm of Albabtain's Poetry” Dr. Fatima Al-Jamai Al-Habbabi (Morocco), pp. 192-219.

• “The Sublime Love in Albabtain's Diwan” Dr. Yasin Al-Ayoubi (Lebanon), pp. 220-228.

• “The Experience of Abdulaziz Albabtain: A Virtuousness of Love and Passion”, poetry verses by Dr. Ahmed Aliraqi, pp. 230-248.

• "Aspects of Sufi Sense in the Poetry of Albabtain" by Dr. Abdulwahab Al-Filali (Morocco), pp. 250-280.

• "The Structure and Evidence in the Poetry of Abdulaziz Saud Albabtain" by Dr. Azal-Arab Lahkim Benani (Morocco), pp. 281-297.

• "The Poetics of Choice in the Creative Works of Poet Abdulaziz Saud Albabtain" by Dr. Abdulmalik Al-Shami, pp. 298-309.

• "Exploring the Poetics of Abdulaziz Saud Albabtain: The Fascination of Existence" by Dr. Abdulrahman Tenkoul, pp. 318-325.

• “The Theme of Love in Abdulaziz Albabtain Poetry: The Case of Five Translated Poems”, Dr. Ahmed Saber, pp. 326 - 335.

• “Viajero en los desiertos Antologi’a de Poesiasde Abdulaziz   ibn Saud Albabtain”, Dr. Mustapha Amidi, pp. 336 - 345.

• "Translating Selected Poems of Abdulaziz Albabtain into German" by Dr. Khalid Lazear, pp. 347-356.

• "The Components of Poetic Discourse in Abdulaziz Albabtain's Poetry" by Dr. Rachid Al-Arjioui, pp. 360-373.

1. “The  Rhythmic  Structure  in  the  Poetry  of Abdulaziz  Saud  Albabtain:  A  Study  in  the Music  of  the  Poem  Frame”,  Dr.  Mohammed Mostafa  Abushwareb  (Egypt),  published  by Dar Al-Maarefa Al-Gamea, Alexandria 1997.

2. “The Bedouin Virtuousness in the Poetic Revelations of Abdulaziz Saud Albabtain: A Critical Study in the Mechanisms and Inputs of the Creativeness”, Sabry Fawzy Abdullah Abu-Hussein (Egypt), published in Cairo, 2000.

3. “The Structure of Rhyme, Sound and Rhythm in the Diwan of ‘Bawh al-Bawadi’”,  by Abdulbar Al-Alyly (Morocco), published by Al-Balabel Press, Fes 2000.

4. “A Prosodic Study of Abdulaziz Saud Albabtain Poetry through his Collection (Intimations of the Deserts)”, Mahjoub Moussa (Egypt), published by Al-Murjah Publishing and Distributing - Kuwait 2002.

5. “The Effectiveness of Creativity- A Study of the Collection 'Musafir Fi Al-Qafar' by Poet Abdulaziz Saud Al-Babtain", Mahjoub Moussa (Egypt), published by Al-Murjah for publishing and distributing - Kuwait 2008.

6. “Characteristics, Objectives and Philosophy of Abdulaziz Saud Albabtain’s Poetry”, Fatma Mohammed, (n.d. / ongoing research).

 

B- Studies on the Poetry of Abdulaziz Saud Albabtain:

1. "The Approach  of  Virtuousness in the Poetry of Abdulaziz Saud Albabtain" by Dr. Yassin Al-Ayoubi (Lebanon), published in the book "The Pulpit of Words: Research and Critical Studies in Modern and Contemporary Arabic Literature," pp. 265-278, Modern Library, Beirut 1999.

2. "An Interview with Abu Al-Qasim Muhammad Karrou Regarding Albabtain Foundation", conducted by Hassan bin Othman and published in the book "Interviews with Poets", edited by Abu Al-Qasim Muhammad Karrou (Tunisia), pp. 15-20, Dar Al-Maghrib Al-Arabi, Tunisia 2001.

3. "(Playing on a Melancholic Chord - A Study on Word Rhythm in the Diwan of 'Bouh Al-Bawadi')", by Dr. Mohamed Abdelhamid Khalifa (Egypt), and published in the book "In the Rhythm of Our Arabic Poetry and Its Environment", pp. 153-187, Dar Al-Wafa for Printing and Publishing, Alexandria 2005.

4. "(Albabtain: A Traveler in Deserts and Time)", by Mr. Ahmed Fadel Shabloul (Egypt). The research paper was presented at the seminar organized by the Bibliotheca Alexandrina in honor of the poet Abdulaziz Saud Albabtain on the occasion of the publication of his second poetic collection, "Musafir fi Al-Qifar" (Wastefarer), on 1st November 2004. The research paper is published on the website of Dar Naasheri for Electronic Publishing.

5. "The Construction of Poetic Style in the Poetic Collection 'Bouh Al-Bawadi' by Abdulaziz Saud Albabtain" and "(A Critical Reading of the Collection 'Musafer Al-Qafar' by Abdulaziz Saud Albabtain)", by Dr. Fawzi Issa (Egypt), pp. 75-88 and pp. 93-105 respectively, from the book "In the Aesthetics of Reception: Critical Readings in Contemporary Arabic Poetry," Dar Al-Ma'arif, Alexandria 2009.

C- Academic Theses and Dissertations on the Poetry of Abdulaziz Saud Albabtain:

1. "The Flirtatious Poetry of Abdulaziz Saud Albabtain", Postgraduate Thesis - Lebanese University, Beirut 1999, Prepared by: Khalid Mohammed Al-Mansour, Supervised by: Dr. Abdulhamid Jaida.

2. “Study and Analysis of the Two Collections of Poems of Albabtain in Persian”- Master’s Thesis - prepared by Mokhtar Mojahed (Iran), under supervision of Dr. Mohammed Ali Azersheb, Faculty of Arts - Tehran University 2008.

3. “The Biography in (Wastefarer) Collection of Poems  of  the  Poet Abdulaziz  Saud Albabtain (Travelling through Self-gate)” - Research for postgraduate diploma - end of second year, prepared by Essam Hajli (Morocco) under supervision of Dr. Omar Marrakshi, The Ministry of National and Higher Education, Rabat 2010.

4. “The Integration of Literary Genres in the Diwans of Poet Abdulaziz Saud Albabtain”, Master's Thesis - Higher School for Professors - University of Rabat 2010, prepared by: Mohamed Lahiq (Morocco), supervised by: Dr. Omar Al-Marrakeshi.

5. “The Sentimental Orientation in the Poetry of Abdulaziz Saud Albabtain”, Master's Thesis - Faculty of Arts - Alexandria University 2014, prepared by: Enas Al-Rafaie (Egypt), supervised by: Dr. Fawzi Issa.

6. “The Poetry of Abdulaziz Saud Albabtain: A Stylistic Study”, Master's Thesis - Faculty of Arts - Alexandria University 2016, prepared by: Ghassan Abbas Al-Saadi (Iraq), supervised by: Dr. Fawzi Issa.

7. “The Aspects of Chaste Love Poetry in the Works of Abdulaziz Saud Albabtain”, Master's Thesis - Faculty of Arts and Humanities - Shiraz University, prepared by: Afat Mardani (Iran), supervised by: Dr. Sayed Fadlallah Mirqaderi.

8. “Elements of Artistic Creativity in the Poetic Diwan Oghniyat Al-Fayafi by the poet Abdulaziz Saud Albabtain”, A Master’s Thesis in Arts - Department of the Arabic Language - Faculty of Arts - Damanhur University in Egypt on 6/10/2019, a thesis  prepared  by:  Amal  Faris  Ibrahim Al-Rumaisi,  and supervised  by  Dr.  Muhammad Moustafa Aboushawareb.

9. “The Aesthetic and Social Manifestations of the Poetic Text in ‘Albabtain Encyclopedia of Arab Poets in the Age of States and Emirates (656-1215 AH / 1258-1800 AD)’”, PhD Thesis - the Faculty of Arts - Damanhur University in Egypt on 7/12/2022, prepared  by  researcher  Ayman  Badr Muhammad Howaidi, and supervised by: Dr. Eman Fouad Barakat. Discussion and Judging Committee: Prof. Dr. Muhammad Mustafa Abushawareb, Prof. Dr. Ghanem Al-Saeed, Prof. Dr. Ahmed Mohamed Balboula, and Prof. Dr. Eman Fouad Barakat.

D- Works Celebrating the Poet Abdulaziz Saud Al-Babtain:

These works demonstrated the celebration of poets, academics, and politicians of the poet Abdulaziz Saud Al-Babtain and his humanitarian and cultural works. Among them were:

1. “Abdulaziz Saud Albabtain - Impressions and Testimonials by Statesmen  and Intellectuals”, with foreword by Dr. Ahmed Darwish (Egypt), 1st edition, Cairo, was published by Al-Dar Al-Masriya Al-Lubnaniya, 2014 (In Arabic). The translation into English, 1st edition, was published by Al-Ain Publishing House, 2015.

2. “Abdulaziz  Saud  Albabtain  in  the  Hearts  of Poets: Poetry Texts” (Three Volumes) collected, organized and presented by Dr. Mohamed Mostafa Aboushawareb, 1st edition, by Dar Al-Wafaa Printing & Publishing, Alexandria 2015.