Sheikh Mohammed named inspirational literary figure for Silk Road Poets
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Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, has been named the Inspirational Literary Figure for Silk Road Poets by the World Silk Road Forum. The recognition celebrates his literary achievements and visionary leadership in positioning Dubai as a cultural nexus between East and West.
The Forum commended Sheikh Mohammed’s poetic contributions, which include the bilingual collection Flashes of Verse (2014), presenting 52 excerpts exploring themes such as human resilience, love and triumph. Another notable work, 40 Poems from the Desert (2011), reflects his deep-rooted patriotism and poetic elegance, while For the Love of Horses pays homage to the strength and spirit of equestrianism—a long-standing passion of the Dubai ruler.
As part of this honour, Dubai will host the fifth edition of the Silk Road International Poetry Festival from May 23 to 29. This marks the first time an Arab city will stage the prestigious global literary event. The award ceremony is scheduled for May 27 at the Mohammed bin Rashid Library.
Over 50 poets, artists and painters from around the world will gather in Dubai for a week-long celebration of art and verse. The festival is a flagship event of the World Silk Road Forum, which also conducts seasonal poetry events titled Silk Road Spring Poetry, uniting voices from all five continents.
The festival’s previous editions were held in Madrid (2018), Moscow (2019), and China (2021 and 2023), with Dubai now becoming the cultural torchbearer for the fifth edition.
