Douz hosts poetry festival from 30 October to 1 November
Published on 10/31/2026 at 18:02 | Editorial responsibility: Rafael Müller, Editor-in-Chief AD HOC NEWSPoetry and desert culture
- The tenth festival edition runs from 30 October to 1 November 2026 in Douz under director Ezzeddine Balti.
- More than 20 poets from several Arab countries are taking part in the 2026 programme.
- The Sahara Museum presents nomadic life in the Nefzaoua region through collections on dromedaries, tents, weaving and costumes.
- Douz lies in Kebili Governorate in southern Tunisia, south of Chott al-Jarid.
Douz hosts the tenth International Festival of Popular Poetry from 30 October to 1 November 2026, bringing a three-day programme to the Tunisian desert town. The event is taking place in Douz, in Tunisia's Kebili Governorate, with poetry competitions and cultural activities linked to the region's oral heritage.
Popular Poetry Festival runs from 30 October
The festival began with related competitions on 28 October, while the main programme runs from 30 October to 1 November 2026. The date and location were confirmed by the Tunis Africa Press report on the festival, whose director is Ezzeddine Balti. The tenth edition is therefore already under way at the publication date, rather than being a general seasonal listing. TAP confirms the festival dates.
The programme centres on popular poetry, a form closely associated with Bedouin life, desert travel and oral storytelling in southern Tunisia. A report published as the festival opened said that more than 20 poets from several Arab countries were participating. The programme also includes an international poetry competition, artistic performances and a discussion on artificial intelligence and human creativity.
Douz setting connects poetry with nomadic heritage
The town stands in the Nefzaoua region, south of Chott al-Jarid, where pre-Saharan oases extend towards a desert hinterland. That setting gives the festival a direct relationship with the subject of its poetry: the town is not only a host venue but also part of the cultural landscape described through its oral traditions.
The Sahara Museum in Douz provides a fixed point for understanding that background. Tunisia's heritage authority says its collections cover nomadism and the dromedary, tents and nomadic furniture, cavalry, weaving, clothing, silver ornaments and tattooing. The museum's displays place the festival's poetry within the wider material culture of Nefzaoua and the communities that shaped it. The heritage authority describes the museum.
Poetry programme reflects southern Tunisia's oral culture
The festival's timing also places visitors in the middle of a wider cultural season in Douz. Its competitions, performances and discussion bring contemporary subjects into a town whose cultural identity is tied to oral verse, desert life and the memory of nomadic communities. The programme thus links a current public event with collections that document older forms of work, travel and family life.
The festival is distinct from the International Festival of the Sahara, which is scheduled for December. For visitors arriving between 30 October and 1 November 2026, the current reason to come is the poetry festival and its associated cultural programme, not the later Sahara celebration.
Visiting Douz: what travellers from Western Europe should know
- The International Festival of Popular Poetry runs in Douz from 30 October to 1 November 2026; related competitions began on 28 October.
- The programme is a public cultural festival in the town, with poetry competitions, performances and a discussion listed among its activities.
- Douz is in Kebili Governorate in southern Tunisia, in the Nefzaoua oasis region south of Chott al-Jarid.
- The surrounding setting combines an oasis town with a desert hinterland, so visitors should plan for sun, sand and walking on uneven ground outside paved areas.
- Tunisia's official language is Arabic and its national currency is the Tunisian dinar.
- Entry requirements depend on your nationality; UK travellers can check the FCDO travel advice at gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice, Irish travellers the Department of Foreign Affairs at ireland.ie.
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Frequently asked questions about Douz
When does the International Festival of Popular Poetry take place at Douz?
The tenth edition runs from 30 October to 1 November 2026. Related competitions began on 28 October 2026.
What is Douz known for?
Douz is a town in the Nefzaoua oasis region, with cultural traditions linked to desert life and nomadic communities. Its Sahara Museum documents those traditions.
Where is Douz and how do you get there?
Douz is in Kebili Governorate in southern Tunisia, south of Chott al-Jarid. It is a regional base for reaching the surrounding oasis and desert landscape.
