Muscat: The Ministry of Education, represented by the Directorate-General of Educational Supervision, organised a ceremony on the occasion of International Arabic Language Day, under the slogan ‘Arabic is the language of poetry and art.’
The ceremony was held on this occasion under the patronage of Dr. Said bin Saif Al Ameri, Head of Office of the Minister of Education, in the presence of Dr. Sulaiman Al-Jamoudi, Director-General of the Directorate-General of Educational Supervision, a number of department directors, educational supervisors, and a group of school students. The celebration ceremony was held at the theatre of the Directorate-General of Education in Muscat Governorate.
The ceremony began with the Ministry’s speech, delivered by Darwish Al-Kayoumi, Director of the Human Sciences Supervision Department.
He said: “Describing Arabic as the language of poets only is an inaccurate description, but the most accurate description is that it is a poetic language, in which “metaphor and truth meet in a rare way.”
“Arabic is a poetic language par excellence, and the lover of this language only has to take a fleeting glance at the huge linguistic heritage of Arabic to find it exuding poetry in all its letters and vocabulary.”
“The Arabic language has contributed to the development of various types of arts, not just poetry. It has inspired calligraphers, engineers, and painters, and its brilliance is evident in the creativity of Islamic architecture in mosques and palaces, ancient and modern, in rare manuscripts, and in the many types of Arabic calligraphy that calligraphers and copyists compete in embellishing their writings with it. It is truly the language of the various arts and sciences,” he added.
It was followed by an opening panel presented by the students at the Smart Student School, and a poem by the poet Muhammad bin Saif Al-Abri titled: Cosmic Breath.
Dr. Mahmoud Al-Riyami presented a scientific lecture titled ‘Arabic, the Language of Poetry and Imagination,’ in which he focused on the slogan of this year’s International Arabic Language Day: Arabic is the language of poetry and art, indicating the importance of poetry in the Arabic language, and its extension throughout the ages, through some examples.
Then the journalist Adel Al-Kasbi moderated a discussion session titled ‘Talent and Creativity in the Literary Arts’, in which Ahmed Al-Busaidi, a specialist in talent and creativity, and a founding member of the Arab Council for Creativity and Innovation, spoke about the definition of talent, the distinction between talented and brilliant students, and the reasons that limit the emergence and spread of gifted people, and the most important qualities and characteristics of gifted and creative people.
Dr. Wafa Al Shamsi, a lecturer at the United Arab Emirates University and a member of the Scientific Committee of the ALECSO Chair in Child Service, discussed strategies for creative work, empowering students with creative thinking skills in writing a short story or play, and creative skills to reach creative production.
Fatima Al Zaabi, Supervisor of Learning Difficulties, focused on the societal and institutional activities that help in highlighting the gifted in the literary arts, the role of institutions in developing and highlighting the literary arts among students, and the classroom activities that help in developing the gifted students, and the role of the parents in this aspect.
Poet Aisha bint Humaid Al Jamei recited a poem titled ‘You Who Robbed the Lovers'.
The Muscat and South Al Batinah teams debated, where the text of the debate was about the widespread of dialects in the teaching method and modern media, which led to the deterioration of the Arabic language.
The ceremony concluded with poetry recitation by students Ola Al Owaisi and Iman Al Mahrouqi from Dohat Al Adab School for Basic Education, and the Promising Speaker segment presented by Rahma Al Aisari from Amra bint Rawaha School for Basic Education.
It is worth noting that the celebration of the International Arabic Language Day aims to enhance the status of the Arabic language, hinder belonging to it, enrich linguistic and educational discussions around the theme of the celebration: Arabic is the language of poetry and the arts, and highlight student talents in other areas in the literary arts.