Farouk Shousha

Farouk Shousha (born 1936) is an Egyptian poet. He hosted the popular television program Umsiya Thaqafiya ("Cultural Evening") from 1977 through 2006.^[1]

Shousha was born in Damietta, where he attended kuttab. He credits the kuttab with providing him "a strong foundation of language". When a cholera epidemic led to his confinement at home, Shousha read poetry to pass the time. Afterwards, he began a programmatic reading of Arabic poetry at the local library, where he read everything from the pre-Islamic period through contemporary poets. Of the Damietta library, Shousha says, "It was there that my first poems were born."^[1]

Shousha attended Dar al-Ulum, where he became known as the Students' Poet. After graduation, he began working as a radio presenter. Eventually, he rose to be Director of Egyptian Radio. Later, Shousha entered the field of television. Throughout his media career, Shousha has been associated with cultural and literary programs.^[1]

In 2005, Shousha was named Secretary-General of the Arabic Language Academy,^[2] a body described by Al-Ahram Weekly as "the guardians of the language". In his role as Secretary-General, Shousha has been critical of what he considers to be a decline in the quality of Arabic in Egypt, a problem he attributes to radio and television announcers, poor teaching standards, and the lack of libraries in schools.^[1] Shousha has described the problem as "an issue of national security".^[3]

The first volume of Shousha's Collected Poems was published in 1985, and the second volume in 2007. Concerning the volumes' publication, Shousha remarked, "I am happy to be honoured during my lifetime, not, as is the case with so many intellectuals, long after I die."^[1]

Selected awards

Shousha has won the following honors, among others:^[2]

• State Encouraging Award for Poetry (1986)
• Kfafis International Prize for Poetry (1994)
• Saudi Yemani Prize for Poetry (1994)
• State Evaluating Prize for Literature (1997)

References