Culture minister honours Qatari poet al-Naama

HE the Minister of Culture Sheikh Abdulrahman bin Hamad al-Thani, opened the 3rd Seminar Season by honouring the Qatari poet and diplomat Dr Hassan al-Naama, in recognition of his contribution to literature and poetry, and to consolidate the value of intellectuals in building the nation’s cultural identity.Dr al-Naama read his most recent poem, which was followed by a Nabati poetry evening in which the Qatari poet Saleh al-Nashira and the Kuwaiti poet Mazyad al-Wasmi were presented by journalist Ahmad al-Abdullah.The activities of the Seminar Season started Wednesday evening at the Sheraton Hotel, organised by the Ministry of Culture from March 6 to 9, with the participation of intellectuals, creators, thinkers, poets and media professionals from inside and outside Qatar.The season aims to enrich the cultural scene, to encourage creators, intellectuals and poets. As well as providing an incubating environment that embodies the cultural movement and expands the circle of comprehensive culture. The academic and novelist Dr Ahmed Abdelmalik attributed the importance of the Seminar Season to the fact that it creates an environment suitable for a culture of dialogue and reception.On the sideline of the poetic evening Dr al-Naama told Gulf Times that he was happy to be honoured. On the publication of his poetry collection, he said that he already published a first instalment at the opening of the Katara Publishing House. Pointing that "it is very big because I started writing poems about the Qatari history and events from the 1950’s up to date. I wrote many poems so it takes time to edit them prior to their publication, but a selection of poems was already published in one volume.”With regard to the young generations of poets Dr al-Naama said: "They have to work hard in order to be distinguished, literature is very important, so you have to give people food for their brain.”