House of Poetry in Marrakech explores contemporary poetry, criticism

MARRAKESH, Morocco – The House of Poetry in Marrakech is hosting the inaugural Marrakesh Forum on Poetic Criticism on January 30 and 31  at the Daoudiate Cultural Centre, bringing together some of Morocco’s leading critics, researchers and poets.

Participants include Abdeddine Hamrouch, Sabah Eddebbi, Mehdi Laaraj, Abdallah Zemzki, Al-Azza Birouk and Abdelhak Ouifak. The two-day event will feature in-depth critical discussions, poetry readings and book signings of the latest literary and critical works.

The forum aims to create a vibrant space for cultural and intellectual dialogue, establishing a critical laboratory for examining Moroccan poetic discourse. By raising fresh questions and probing contemporary poetry, the event offers a platform to explore text, writing techniques, interpretive layers and the distinctiveness of Moroccan literary expression amid current social and cultural transformations.

Organisers hope the forum will provide a modern vision of contemporary Moroccan poetry, reflecting evolving critical challenges and supporting the development of young critical voices. The event continues the House of Poetry’s ongoing efforts to promote the role of poetry in Moroccan culture, alongside its poetry workshops, cultural meetings and awards such as Best Poem and Poetic Criticism, which spotlight emerging talent.

On the first day, January 30, a critical session at 5:30pm will feature poet and critic Hamrouch, critic Laaraj, winner of the 2025 Sharjah Poetic Criticism Prize, and culture researcher Birouk. This will be followed by poetry readings from Hamrouch and Eddebbi, along with book signings, including Laaraj’s “The System of Poetic Experience in Contemporary Arabic Poetry: Between Innovation and Model Division” and Eddebbi’s “Poetic Imagination: Concepts, References, and Perspectives.”

The second day, January 31, opens at 10:30am with a critical session led by critic Abdelatif Sekhiri. Participants include poet and critic Eddebbi, critic Zemzki, winner of the 2024 House of Poetry Poetic Criticism Prize, and poet-critic Ouifak. The day will also feature readings by Ouifak and Birouk and the signing of new works, including Ouifak’s “Structures of Transformation and Continuity in Moroccan Arabic Poetry” and Zemzki’s “Imagery in Amazigh Poetry: Structural and Semantic Foundations.”

Young researchers, master’s and doctoral students from the House of Poetry are contributing to the forum’s analytical report, which will be presented at the close of the event, highlighting recommendations aimed at enriching Morocco’s critical and poetic dialogue.

The forum underscores Marrakech’s historic role as a hub of poetic modernity and reflects a fruitful collaboration with Sharjah’s Department of Culture, which has helped disseminate many notable literary and critical publications, demonstrating a commitment to fostering diverse voices in poetry and criticism.