Abu Dhabi, 15 April 2025
The Abu Dhabi Heritage Authority has announced the opening of registration for the 12th season of the acclaimed television program Million’s Poet. Registration will continue until 15 May 2025 through the official website: millionspoet.ae.
To be eligible, male and female applicants, must be between 18 and 45 years old and submit a classical Nabati poem with metered verse and rhyme, consisting of no fewer than 10 lines and no more than 18 lines. Submissions must be typed; handwritten poems will not be accepted. Full application guidelines and details are available on the program’s official website.
Once the registration period concludes, the jury will begin reviewing and evaluating the submissions based on strict literary and artistic criteria. Shortlisted poets will then be invited for in-person interviews as part of the selection process for the live televised rounds, which will take place at the Al Raha Beach Theatre in Abu Dhabi. A total of 48 poets will be chosen to compete for the Poetry Banner (Bayraq Al-Shi‘r) and the program’s prestigious prizes, the largest in the field of Nabati poetry.
Million’s Poet is the leading and largest Nabati poetry competition in the Arab world. It enjoys broad regional popularity and fulfills Abu Dhabi’s cultural vision by restoring the prominence of Nabati poetry in Arab heritage, reflecting the authentic Arab identity, values, and regional dialects.
The show offers substantial prizes to the top six finalists, with awards exceeding 15 million AED. The winner earns the title of Million’s Poet, the Poetry Banner, and a cash prize of 5 million AED. The second-place winner receives 4 million AED, third place 3 million AED, fourth 2 million AED, fifth 1 million AED, and sixth 600,000 AED.
Since its launch in 2006, Million’s Poet has become the largest televised Nabati poetry competition in the Arab world. Over the past 19 years and 11 seasons, it has discovered and nurtured hundreds of poetic talents, many of whom have become leading figures in the region’s poetry scene. The program has played a vital role in reviving Arab literary heritage and embedding Nabati poetry in the Arab collective cultural memory.
Each season, the program continues to fulfill its mission of showcasing the role of the UAE, and its capital, Abu Dhabi, in advancing cultural and creative excellence. It reinforces national identity and heritage values, supports exceptional poetic talent, and celebrates the literary contributions of distinguished poets. The program also promotes critical studies and academic research on Nabati poetry, helping to preserve and sustain its legacy for future generations.
