The Sultan Bin Ali Al Owais Cultural Foundation has recently published two bilingual poetry translations—into French and English—featuring selected works of the late Emirati poet Sultan Al Owais under the title Ashes of Love (Cendres de l’amour). The French translation was completed by Antoine Jockey, while the English translation was undertaken by Dr. Amnia Amin.
The translations coincide with the 100th anniversary of Sultan Bin Ali Al Owais’ birth (1925–2025). In his honour, UNESCO has designated 2025 as the year to celebrate his achievements and enduring legacy.
To mark the centenary, the Sultan Bin Ali Al Owais Cultural Foundation has rolled out a comprehensive program of cultural, intellectual, artistic, musical, and cinematic events throughout the year.
The French and English editions will be officially presented at an international symposium in Paris, held in collaboration with UNESCO at its headquarters on September 11–12. The event, titled Sultan Al Owais: “A Journey of Poetry, A Journey of Giving”, will gather leading writers, orientalists, cultural figures, poets, journalists, and scholars.
The translated poems were carefully selected to convey Al Owais’ literary universe to French and English readers. Thirty poems, written in a classical style that emphasizes clarity and simplicity while maintaining profound emotional and human depth, were chosen. His fluid, heartfelt language and the structural elegance of his poetry facilitated their graceful and faithful adaptation into other languages.
Dr. Omnia Amin, a specialist in modern literature, feminist literary theory, and criticism, earned her PhD from the University of London in 1996. She has translated works of major poets such as Mahmoud Darwish and Ahmed Abdel Muti Hijazi into English and compiled a poetry anthology titled “The Final Desert Chant”, featuring 20 Emirati poets.
Lebanese writer and translator Antoine Jockey is one of the foremost figures in bringing Arabic poetry to French-speaking audiences. His portfolio includes nearly 40 translated works of prominent Arab poets and novelists, including Wadi Saadeh, Abbas Beydoun, Sarkis Boules, Amjad Nasser, Abdel Kader El Janabi, Paul Chaoul, Hoda Barakat, Maya Haj, Ghassan Zaqtan, Tarek Hamdan, Hala Mohammed, Imad Fouad, and others.
