- The Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO) has launched its annual poetry competition "Cities of Poems" to celebrate the capitals of culture in the Islamic world. Three cities are celebrated in 2024: Marrakesh, in the Kingdom of Morocco, Benghazi, in Libya, and Shusha, in the Republic of Azerbaijan. The competition aims to revive and strengthen poetry's relationship with places, poetic and aesthetic documentation of the history and geography of cities, honoring the symbols and civilizations celebrated by the capitals of culture in the Islamic world through poetry, and contributing to the literary and lyrical movement. The poems entering the competition will be evaluated by a specialized ICESCO committee of poets who will select three winners for each city celebrated as the Islamic world's capital of culture. The winner will receive $2,000, the runner-up will receive $1,500, and the third-place winner will receive $1,000. They will also be given certificates of appreci ation. Source: Saudi Press Agency