A statue of pioneering Egyptian vernacular poet Fouad Haddad (1927–1985) was unveiled at the House of Arabic Poetry in the heart of Islamic Cairo during a poetry evening. The event, held last week, was part of the cultural Salon of renowned poet Abdel Moati Hegazi under the title “In the Presence of Fouad Haddad.”
The statue of the father of poets, Fouad Haddad, which centred the stage, was a gift from renowned international sculptor Osama Al-Serwy to the House of Arabic Poetry, Ministry of Culture. Al-Serwy created 92 statues of Egyptian figures, including those of Said Darwish and Abbas El Akkad, among others. “Fouad Haddad is a poet who continues to live in the collective conscience and awareness of Egyptians, shaped by his words, and the least we can do for such a figure is to create a sculpture that makes his physical features eternal, for he and his art are already immortal,” explained sculptor Osama Al-Serwy.
The evening kicked off with a short speech by architect Hamdi Sotohi, head of the Egyptian Cultural Fund, who stated the grand impact of poet Fouad Haddad on the history of Arab poetry. This was followed by a speech of renowned poet Abdel Moati Hegazi, who thoroughly explained how Haddad’s figurative language made him a master of both vernacular and classical poetry.
Poets Mohamed Baghdady and Ragab El-Sawy also spoke, with El-Sawy reciting a poem he dedicated to Fouad Haddad that incorporated verses from Haddad’s work. “The evening comes out of the responsibility of the House of Arab Poetry to safeguard the patriotic poetic memory,” explained Sameh Mahgoub, head of the House of Arabic Poetry.
Fouad Haddad was a pioneer of Egyptian vernacular poetry in the 20th century. Born in 1927 in Cairo, he was educated in French and studied French literature. He later turned to Egyptian and Arab poetic traditions, especially vernacular verse, which strongly shaped his work. From then on, his language and themes reflected the vitality of Egyptian culture, making his poetry a distinct part of Egypt’s intangible cultural heritage.
He wrote over 30 books of poetry, 17 of which were published during his lifetime. One of his most popular poems is Al-Mesaharaty, which renowned Egyptian composer Sayed Mekkawi set to music. His song Al-Ard Betetkalem Araby (The Earth Speaks Arabic) became an iconic pan-Arab song for generations and was written in the aftermath of the Six-Day War in 1967. The event was a mix of poetry recitation and songs, opening with a very special poetic speech by Fouad Haddad’s youngest son, writer Hassan Haddad. The talk explored the theme of hope as a mainstream flooding in Haddad’s poetry.
“Oh tanned one, my soul, the extension of the Nile that flows 2,000 miles per second, as far as the rhyme can hold, 2,000 years pass by and the beauty of my words still holds, Fouad Haddad is the poet of hope, and his belief in hope was the main force that moved the poet within him and his clear decision to make his poetry aims to attempt a better life for the people. Throughout his life, he never deviated from hope or his belief in the people,” explained writer Hassan Haddad.
Hassan Haddad elaborated on the theme of hope in Fouad Haddad’s poetry with another verse that opens his epic poem, lamenting martyr Mohamed Ebid in his poetry collection Egypt’s Word, saying, “Planting hope and dreams has a long history and tradition; my faith in victory is based on Egypt’s belief in the strength of its people.”
Hassan Haddad further recounts how hope was a cross-cutting theme in Fouad Haddad’s poetry journey, where, when he was a political prisoner and tortured, he decided to write daily poems to support his prison mates. “Palm trees stand tall as a symbol that continues to rise. When goodness prevails, the iron of evil will bend. No faith is ever broken, no hope is lost, hardships are accounted for, and so long you live in this world, hope is a must,” he recites.
Hassan Haddad explained that in response to the Six-Day War, Fouad Haddad wrote a poetry collection that was published in 1969 during Cairo’s millennium celebrations. The opening lines of his book, Of the Radiance of Imagination and the Creation of Generations in the History of Cairo, begin with his famous verse: “The earth talks Arabic.”
Unyielding Solidarity: Egypt’s Diplomatic Surge Reinforces Arab Defenses Against Escalating Warfare
