Prince Badr bin Abdulmohsen

His Royal Highness Prince Badr bin Abdulmohsen bin Abdulaziz Al Saud is a Saudi poet nicknamed "the engineer of the word" and "the icon of Saudi poetry", and he is classed as one of the most prominent pioneers of modern poetry in the Saudi and Arab spheres.[12]

His career received official honours inside the Kingdom and abroad, among them the King Abdulaziz Sash, the naming of a theatre after him within the Riyadh Season programme, and an honour from the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) in Paris.[3][4][5]

Prince Badr bin Abdulmohsen is counted among the most prominent poets of the Arabian Peninsula and among the pioneers of modern poetry in the Arabian Peninsula, and he produced literary texts that combine love poetry, pride, elegy, and social and political reality.[12]

His poetic career spanned more than five decades, and his poems spread widely through being set to music in songs composed by the most prominent Gulf composers, among them Talal Maddah, Abdulrab Idris and Sami Ihsan.[4][12]

On the national side, he wrote the lyrics of the operetta "Faris al-Tawhid" in 1999, an artistic epic celebrating the journey of the nation.[13]

The Literature, Publishing and Translation Commission announced on 27 Rajab 1442 AH, corresponding to 11 March 2021, its intention to collect the complete poetic and literary works of Prince Badr bin Abdulmohsen and reprint them in print editions worthy of his standing, in implementation of the directive of the Minister of Culture, Chairman of the Commission's Board of Directors, Prince Badr bin Abdullah bin Farhan, in appreciation of his effective contributions to the Saudi creative movement over the past five decades.[7]

He signed his collection "The Poetic Works" at his own pavilion at the Riyadh International Book Fair 2022 on 5 Rabi' al-Awwal 1444 AH, corresponding to 1 October 2022, and the set comprised five volumes of poetry.[8]

His complete poetic works were published to coincide with the Riyadh International Book Fair 2022 in cooperation with the Badr bin Abdulmohsen Cultural Foundation, and the Commission oversaw their translation into English and French through specialised committees.[12]

The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud conferred the King Abdulaziz Sash on Prince Badr bin Abdulmohsen at Qasr al-Salam in Jeddah on 1 Ramadan 1440 AH, corresponding to 6 May 2019, in appreciation of the efforts and services he rendered to his country.[3]

The General Entertainment Authority honoured Prince Badr bin Abdulmohsen within the programme of Riyadh Season at "Laylat al-Badr" on 16 Rabi' al-Awwal 1441 AH, corresponding to 13 November 2019, in recognition of what he offered in the field of Saudi poetry and literature, and the Chairman of the Authority's Board of Directors, Turki bin Abdulmohsen Al Al-Sheikh, announced the naming of the theatre built for the occasion "Prince Badr bin Abdulmohsen Theatre".[4]

The Director-General of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), Audrey Azoulay, honoured the poet prince Badr bin Abdulmohsen at the Organization's headquarters in Paris on 15 Rajab 1440 AH, corresponding to 22 March 2019, on the occasion of World Poetry Day, in recognition of his poetic, artistic and cultural contributions, which spanned more than forty years.[5]

At the "Nay" evening organised by the Initiatives Centre at the Misk Charitable Foundation in partnership with UNESCO and in cooperation with the Badr bin Abdulmohsen Cultural Foundation at the UNESCO headquarters in Paris, Prince Badr bin Abdulmohsen recited 12 poems translated into French and English, before a cultural gathering of more than 400 figures, and the evening was accompanied by an art exhibition comprising 36 artworks.[5][6]

He also held a poetry evening titled "Al-Badr Lights Up Al-Qassim" in the Qassim Region at the King Khalid Civilisation Centre in the city of Buraydah in January 2023, in the presence of princes, officials and members of the public, and he recited a number of patriotic and sentimental poems.[9]

The Governor of the Qassim Region, Prince Dr Faisal bin Mishaal bin Saud bin Abdulaziz, directed on 8 Dhu al-Qa'dah 1445 AH, corresponding to 16 May 2024, that the Grand Hall of the King Khalid Civilisation Centre in the city of Buraydah be named "Prince Badr bin Abdulmohsen bin Abdulaziz Hall", in appreciation of his literary and cultural standing.[10]

The Saudi Data and Artificial Intelligence Authority (SDAIA) employed the latest artificial intelligence technologies to honour Prince Badr bin Abdulmohsen at the opening of the third edition of the Global AI Summit in Riyadh on 8 Rabi' al-Awwal 1446 AH, corresponding to 11 September 2024, with an interactive presentation of his poem "Fawq Ham al-Suhub".[11]

The Riyadh International Book Fair 2024 dedicated an honorary corridor to Prince Badr bin Abdulmohsen featuring photographs, lines of poetry and his patriotic phrases, with the phrase "The face of Riyadh appeared to me in the mirrors of the clouds" inscribed on its outer wall.[12]

The Saudi Arabian Society for Culture and Arts held at its headquarters in Riyadh on 21 Rabi' al-Thani 1446 AH, corresponding to 24 October 2024, an honorary forum titled "Culture and Arts in the Presence of Al-Badr", at which reference was made to his role in founding the first culture and arts institution in the Kingdom.[13]

Prince Badr bin Abdulmohsen bin Abdulaziz Al Saud passed away outside the Kingdom on 25 Shawwal 1445 AH, corresponding to 4 May 2024.[1]

His Royal Highness Prince Faisal bin Bandar bin Abdulaziz, Governor of the Riyadh Region, in the presence of His Royal Highness Prince Muqrin bin Abdulaziz, performed the funeral prayer for Prince Badr bin Abdulmohsen at Imam Turki bin Abdullah Grand Mosque in the city of Riyadh on 26 Shawwal 1445 AH, corresponding to 5 May 2024.[2]

Q: Who is Prince Badr bin Abdulmohsen? A: A Saudi poet nicknamed "the engineer of the word", classed as one of the most prominent pioneers of modern poetry in the Saudi and Arab spheres.[12]

Q: What are the most prominent official honours he received? A: The King Abdulaziz Sash on 1 Ramadan 1440 AH, corresponding to 6 May 2019; the naming of a theatre after him at Riyadh Season; and an honour from UNESCO in Paris.[3][4][5]

Q: When did he die and where was the funeral prayer held? A: He died on 25 Shawwal 1445 AH, corresponding to 4 May 2024, outside the Kingdom, and the funeral prayer was performed for him on 26 Shawwal 1445 AH, corresponding to 5 May 2024, at Imam Turki bin Abdullah Grand Mosque in the city of Riyadh.[1][2]

Q: What works were collected for him and translated? A: His complete poetic and literary works were collected and reprinted, the Literature, Publishing and Translation Commission oversaw their translation into English and French, and his complete poetic works were published to coincide with the Riyadh International Book Fair 2022.[7][12]

Q: Which operetta did he write the lyrics for? A: The operetta "Faris al-Tawhid" in 1999, an artistic epic celebrating the journey of the nation.[13]

The name of Prince Badr bin Abdulmohsen is bound up with modern poetry, with official and international honours, and with the collection of his complete poetic works and their translation into English and French.[7][12] Related topics on the platform include Abdulmajeed Abdullah, Rashed Al-Majed and Abbadi Al-Johar.