The "Arkana" International Prize is directed towards four Palestinian poets
The jury of the "Argana" International Poetry Prize for the year 2026, in its eighteenth session, announced the awarding of its Grand Prize to Palestinian poetry.
The award honored four of its most prominent contemporary voices: Ghassan Zaqtan, Youssef Abdulaziz, Taher Riyad, and Zuhair Abu Shayeb. This is the first time in the history of the prize that the crowning is a "collective poetry" that reflects the experience of a nation, rather than being limited to a single poet.
A Celebration of Multiple Voices and Cosmic Questions
The crowning of these names comes as a celebration of a written achievement characterized by a multiplicity of voices and different artistic stripes, with a diligent keenness to expand the scope of the poem. The rationale stated that the honor is an appreciation of a linguistic consciousness that has not given up its poetic lineage despite its active involvement in the great cosmic questions, as the experiences of these poets intersect from within the "difference", to adopt the essence of the poem that belongs to the infinite.
Moroccan consensus and appreciation of cultural ties
The jury convened in the Moroccan capital, Rabat, and included members of the "House of Poetry in Morocco" and partners from the Ministry of Youth, Culture and Communication, and the committee's unanimous decision came to crown Palestinian poetry, which has always marked Morocco's cultural relationship with depth and impact, and in appreciation of the strong diversity that this poetry offers in its aesthetic and human dimensions.
Jury and Selection Accuracy
The committee of this year's edition was chaired by the poet Wafa Amrani, and the membership of a group of Moroccan academics and creatives, including Abdelrahman Tankoul, the visual artist Ahmed Jared, Djamel Eddine Benhayoun, the translator Noureddine Zouitni, in addition to the poet Hassan Najmi, the secretary-general of the award. This formation reflected a desire to approach Palestinian poetry from multiple critical and artistic angles.
Coronation ceremony at the "Book Capital"
The winners will receive the prize's monetary value, shields and certificates of appreciation in an official ceremony to be held on April 25, 2026 at the Mohammed VI Museum of Contemporary Art in Rabat. The ceremony is part of the celebration of Rabat as the World Book Capital for 2026, giving this landmark cultural event a global character.