Prominent Saudi poet, Prince Badr bin Abdul Mohsin, dies at 75
The highly admired Saudi poet, Prince Badr bin Abdul Mohsin, has died, the Chairman of Saudi Arabia’s General Entertainment Authority, Turki Al al-Shikh, said early Saturday.
He was 75 when he breathed his last in France, following a brief illness.
In a social media post mourning the loss, al-Shikh offered his condolences to the people of Saudi Arabia and Prince Badr’s family.
“…I feel I have lost a father of mine,…” he said, writing in Arabic.
Prince Badr was born in Riyadh in 1949. Schooled in Egypt and Saudi Arabia, the award-winning poet was from a young age surrounded by scholars and writers.
He further went on to study in the US and UK.
He has played a crucial role in furthering the cultural scene in the Kingdom while maintaining its roots. He actively engaged in national events and collaborated with well-known Arab artists like Mohammed Abdo and Talal Maddah, among others.
He has held prominent positions in the field, including as the President of the Saudi Arabian Society for Culture and Arts, and as the head of the Saudi Poetry Organization.
Nicknamed ‘architect of the word’ in recognition of his decades-long works that touched the lives of millions in the region and represented the political and social aspects of life in the Kingdom and the Arab world, Prince Badr is a recipient of national and international awards.
In 2019, Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz conferred the King Abdulaziz Sash in honor of his services to the country.
The same year, marking World Poetry Day, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) honored Prince Badr for his contributions over 40 years in an event in Paris.
Scores of users took to social media platforms, remembering the revered poet through his work, and offering their condolences and prayers.
