In a visual tribute to the late Emirati poet Sultan Bin Ali Al Owais (1925–2000), an exhibition titled “Words Breathe Beauty” will open on September 8 at UNESCO’s Miro Hall in Paris. The show, inspired by Al Owais’s poetry, brings together art and photography that reflect the depth of his legacy.

The exhibition will feature 28 works of art, ranging from calligraphy and abstract compositions to gilded and ornamental letterforms, created by leading Arab and international artists. Every piece in the exhibition draws inspiration from Al Owais’s popular poetry, with sculptures and paintings reflecting the poet’s life, ideas, and deep-rooted national values.

A parallel exhibition will also be held in the same hall, showcasing photographs of Sultan Al Owais alongside national figures, writers, and Arab intellectuals who have won the Sultan Bin Ali Al Owais Cultural Award. The photo exhibition features 15 images that capture key moments from the late poet’s life.

The participating artists are Ihsan Al Khatib, Amir Falsafi, Taj Al-Sir Hassan, Hakim Ghannam, Hossam Ahmed, Khulood Al Jabri, Mohammed Farouq Al Hadad, Zaid Al Azami, Sami Makarem, Salma Al Marri, SawaJ Goik, Salah Sherzad, Abbas Akhavein, Abdul Jabbar Weiss, Abdul Qader Al Mubarak, Osman Özçay, Ali Sherazi, and Omran Ali Al Balooshi.

They are joined by Gholam Amirkhan, Mohsen Abbadi, Mehmet Özçay, Mohammed Fehmi, Mahmoud Al Abbadi, Musab Al Douri, Najat Makki, Narjes Noureddine, Huda Saeed Al Dhahouri, Yaser Dweik, and Yousef Dweik.

The exhibition coincides with the major international symposium “Sultan Al Owais: A Journey of Poetry, A Journey of Giving”, scheduled to be held at UNESCO headquarters on September 11–12. The symposium is one of the most prominent events in the wide-ranging centenary programme honouring the late poet and aims to shed light on his cultural and literary legacy.