Session 7:
Abu Firas Al-Hamdani Session, Algeria, 31 October - 3 November 2000:

          This meeting was hosted in the Algerian capital, Algiers to celebrate the two Princes of Poetry: Abu Firas Al-Hamdani or Abu Firas Al-Jamadoma and Abdulqader Al-Jazaeri under the patronage of His Excellency President Abdulaziz Boutefliqa, in cooperation and coordination with the Algerian Ministry of Communications and Culture and the Writers’ Union. In attendance were a large number of poets, writers and dignitaries interested in the poetic movement of various Arab countries.

The prizes were awarded as follows:

1. The Honorary Prize for Creativity in Poetry, valued at. US$ 50,000 (US Dollars fifty thousand), was awarded to the Syrian poet Suleiman Al-Issa for his complete poetic works.

2. The Poetry Criticism Prize, valued at US$ 40,000 (US Dollars forty thousand), was awarded to Dr. Mabrouk Al-Manaa from Tunisia for his divan «Poetry and Money».

3. The Best Divan Prize, valued at US$ 20,000 (US Dollars twenty thousand), was won by the poet Dr. Abdullateef Abdulhaleem from Egypt for his collection «The Blossom of Fire».

4. The Best Poem Prize, valued at US$ 10,000 (US Dollars ten thousand), was won by the poet Mohammed Awwad Al-Thobaiti for his poem «The Sand Attitude…The Alliteration Attitude».

          * A literary seminar was held during the meeting at the Al-Orassy Hotel from 31/10 until 3/11/2000. It comprised of two parts; part one dealt with the poetry of Abu Firas Al-Hamdani and his age; and part two dealt with the poetry of Abdulqader Al-Jazaeri and his age. The meeting’s program included a morning poetic session, three evening poetry recitals and a joint Algerian-Kuwaiti musical performance.