(Dubai – UAE: 18th February 2016) Organized and produced by Hamdan Bin Mohammad Heritage Center, the El Beit Show has announced Saoud Al Fleih and Sultan bin Bandar as the two semi-final winners for the Nabd Al Soura (Imagery Pulse) Competition, along with Al Hareth bin Waze and Faycal Al Atawi as the two semi-final winners of the Chater competition.
Now in its third season, the show’s weekly episodes have garnered widespread popularity in the region and have served as a platform to inspire and motivate talented young poets to display their work in an innovative public setting. The show is aired live every Monday at 10:30pm on Dubai TV with total prizes valued at almost half a million AED per episode. It consists of two competitions including the Nabd Al Soura “Imagery Pulse” competition and the Chater competition.
The Nabd Al Soura competition requires viewers to write a verse that sums up the best interpretation of an image that is displayed on a weekly basis on the show. Participants have until Friday of the same weekend to submit their creative prose to El Beit’s official Twitter account (@el_Beit) or its official website www.elbeit.ae. Three winners are then chosen, with the two runners-up being awarded AED 50,000 each and the first winner being awarded AED100, 000 and the chance to qualify for the semifinals and then the finals for the 1 million AED prize.
The two lucky winners of the Nabd Al Soura competition were Saoud Al Fleih and Sultan bin Bandar. Saoud said of his win, “I feel like I have achieved what I was aiming for and I am waiting for the next challenge. I pray for God’s support for me and the rest of the winners.” Sultan was also surprised by his unexpected victory, saying, “Winning is a feeling that can’t be described, and this win today is nothing but the first step in preparation for the final challenge. The picture was simple but with a sweet and spiritual side, and this is what helped me to compose this verse.”
The Chater competition requires viewers to complete the first part of the verse announced at 5:00pm on the day of the show and send it to El Beit’s official Twitter account (@el_Beit) or its official website www.elbeit.ae. The winner gets AED 100,000 while each of the 12 winners whose verses managed to reach on the golden screen is awarded AED 10,000. The awarding segment of winners of the previous episode is aired at 5:00pm, which is also when the Chater (the first part of the verse) is revealed.
Aspiring poet Al Hareth bin Waze said of his victory, “I didn’t expect to win. I wrote the Chater during the first 7 minutes but waited for the last 8 seconds to submit it, and it seems my efforts have paid off. I couldn’t be more thrilled!” Co-winner Faycal Al Atawi said, “The semifinals is like the penalty kick in a football game and I just hit the goal. What a fantastic feeling to know that my efforts have been recognized. This competition is an inspiration to all young Nabaty Poets and writers alike.”
The screening committee carefully selects verses from amongst thousands of entries for the Nabd Al Soura and for the Chater competition. In addition, a weekly guest of honor joins the show as the pioneer of the Shalla, a unique style of recital used in the literary performance of poetry. He is allowed to select a winner in the Chater competition who will be awarded with AED100, 000 but doesn’t qualify for the finals.
The show, which celebrates the top wordsmiths of the region’s rhythmic Nabaty Poetry, highlights the linguistic culture and traditions of the Gulf countries and the wider Middle East.
