Highlighting National Talent

The Sultan Qaboos Higher Center for Culture and Science just crowned Oman's top literary minds [1]. They officially announced the winners of the highly competitive Qawafi Poetry Competition for 2026 today. The contest brutally tested local talent across both classical and popular Arabic poetry divisions. The center launched this massive cultural initiative in April to nurture genuine poetic creativity and elevate the Omani cultural scene globally. They refuse to let traditional literary arts die out in the modern digital age.

The Classical Masters

In the highly strict classical Arabic poetry field, Muhammad bin Abdullah Al-Farsi secured first place for his brilliant poem “An Early Departure from Nothingness.” Ruqayya bint Ali Al-Harthi took second place with her emotional piece, “The Last Wave to the Bird.” Hamoud bin Salem Al-Saadi secured third place for his work, “If the Birds Migrate, Who Will Sing?” Writing classical Arabic poetry requires total mastery of complex linguistic rules and deep emotional intelligence.

Popular Poetry Champions

The popular poetry division also saw incredibly fierce competition from local writers. Nabhan bin Masoud Al-Salti dominated the field, winning first place for his poem “The Shadow of the Mountain.” Abdul Aziz bin Hamad Al-Amiri claimed second place with “Salma’s Lamp.” Poet Ali bin Abdullah Al-Rasbi took third place for his evocative piece “The Earth’s Traces.” The government continues to actively support and heavily fund these crucial cultural initiatives.

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