The Arabic Calligraphy Museum in Damascus hosted, on Tuesday, a poetic and critical evening titled "The Poet Anwar Al-Attar in an Unfading Garment," which reviewed the biography and literary experience of the late Syrian poet. The event featured his son Hani Al-Attar, a group of critics, and poets, and was presented by the poet and architect Fawaz Ghalib Aboudoun.
The evening included readings from Al-Attar's creative output, highlighting his interest in nature, human sentiment, and the Sufi spirit, as well as his efforts in literature, education, and the Arabic language. Attendees recalled the sweetness of his poems, in which he appealed to Syrian nature.
In a statement to the Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA), Aboudoun confirmed that holding the evening at the Arabic Calligraphy Museum marks a blessed beginning for reviving cultural events in historical sites in Damascus, and reconnecting Arabic script with its historical and artistic space. He pointed out that the gathering of poetry and Arabic calligraphy in this venue gives the event a cultural value linked to the history and civilizational heritage of Damascus.
For his part, Aboudoun spoke about Hani Al-Attar's efforts to collect his father's heritage, authenticate his poetic and prose works, and publish them, as well as donating these works to various libraries and cultural institutions, thereby preserving the poet's legacy and making it available to readers and literature enthusiasts.
The coverage featured interventions by participating critics, who affirmed that Anwar Al-Attar represents a crucial link in the development of the classical Syrian poem, distinguished by simplifying the preface and moving away from artificial rhetorical structures in favor of emotional flow.
For her part, Aisha Al-Nasser, curator of the Arabic Calligraphy Museum, clarified that the evening is part of a series of events commemorating the late Syrian writers and poets, focusing on Al-Attar's biography, ethics, and poetry collections, and the interest in nature and spirituality in his poetry. Additionally, his emulation of human sentiment was highlighted amidst a Damascus atmosphere, with the present audience engaging in lively discussions and interventions that enriched the symposium.
It is worth noting that the poet Anwar Al-Attar was born in Damascus in 1913, graduated from the Faculty of Arts at Damascus University in 1935, and worked as a teacher and Arabic language inspector in Syria, Iraq, and Saudi Arabia. He published the collection "Shadows of Days" in 1948. He also has other collections and works, including "Life Taught Me," "Description and Ornamentation in Al-Buhturi," and two plays: "The Last Arab Kings in Andalusia" and "The Death of Abu Faris Al-Hamdani." He died in Damascus in 1972.
Source: Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA)
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