Registration Open Until May 15 for 12th Season of Million’s Poet, the Arab World’s Premier Nabati Poetry Competition

Photography: Courtesy of WAM

Abu Dhabi, May 2, 2025 (Saudi Arabia Breaking News) – The Abu Dhabi Heritage Authority has announced that registration for the 12th season of Million’s Poet, the Arab world’s leading Nabati poetry television programme, will remain open until May 15, 2025. Applications must be submitted through the programme’s official website: www.millionspoet.ae.

Eligible participants—both male and female—must be between the ages of 18 and 45 and submit a classical Nabati poem written in metered verse with rhyme, consisting of 10 to 18 lines. Submissions must be typed, as handwritten entries will not be accepted. Full application guidelines are detailed on the official website.

Following the close of registration, a jury of experts will review all submissions using strict literary and artistic criteria. Selected poets will be invited for in-person interviews, leading to the final shortlist of 48 poets who will compete in the live televised rounds at Al Raha Beach Theatre in Abu Dhabi.

Now entering its 12th season, Million’s Poet remains the most prestigious Nabati poetry competition in the Arab world. The programme reflects Abu Dhabi’s cultural vision to preserve and promote the Arabic language and poetic heritage. It also strengthens the presence of Nabati poetry—rooted in oral traditions and regional dialects—across generations.

The show awards over AED15 million in prizes, with the winner receiving the title of Million’s Poet, the Poetry Banner (Bayraq Al-Shi‘r), and a grand prize of AED5 million. The remaining top five finalists also receive significant monetary rewards.

Since its inception in 2006, Million’s Poet has played a leading role in reviving Nabati poetry and positioning it as a central component of Arab cultural identity. Across 11 seasons, it has discovered and elevated hundreds of emerging poets, many of whom have gone on to influence the region’s literary scene.