Iman Abo El-Atta
This week, the Cervantes Institute in Cairo and Alexandria will host three nights of captivating poetry, music, and dance, blending Spanish and Egyptian cultures. These events are part of the second edition of the Mediterranean Poetry Festival, running from Tuesday to Thursday, November 12-14, from 7:00 PM to 9:00 PM at both locations.
The festival this year will feature interactive performances that combine live poetry recitals with the sounds of oud and guitar, accompanied by dynamic dance performances. On Tuesday, November 12, in Cairo, and Wednesday, November 13, in Alexandria, audiences will experience poetry from both Egyptian and Spanish poets. The lineup includes notable poets such as Mustafa Ibrahim and Amina Abdullah from Egypt, alongside Spanish poets Raquel Lancero, Marta Pessarodona, Berta Piñán, and Ben Clark. Additionally, the performances will feature oud player Marwan Hazem El Jamal, guitarist Mahmoud El Meligi, and choreographer Libertad Butho, with dancers from the Cairo Contemporary Dance Center (Maat).
The festival will conclude on Thursday, November 14, in Cairo, with a special performance by Canary Island artist Elisa Betancort and the musical performance group Sekem Yorethmy. This final night will blend the music of Albéniz and Granados with the poetry of García Lorca, Rumi, and Gibran Khalil Gibran. Elisa Betancort’s expressive art will provide a unique fusion of movement, music, and poetry, transforming traditional choreography into an integrated, holistic expression that connects words and sounds through dance.
The Mediterranean Poetry Festival was first launched in 2023 as a decentralized initiative to promote contemporary poetry from Spain in its many languages. It serves as a platform for interaction and dialogue between local poets, writers, translators, and critics from countries hosting the festival events. The goal is to foster creative connections and build bridges between the different poetic traditions of the Mediterranean basin. This year’s second edition is organized in collaboration with various poetry festivals in Spain and artistic initiatives across several Mediterranean cities, with the support of the Cervantes Institute.
