Arabic poet, teacher and producer Ali Al-Jamri is a writer of prose and poetry and passionate about translation and its role within diasporic Arabic-language communities in the UK. Ali’s Between Two Islands project was funded by Arts Council England and brought poetry workshops to the UK’s Bahraini community.

Ali Al-Jamri says, “Like so many people raised between cultures, I didn’t have the opportunity to nurture my bilingualism and celebrate my mother tongue. Manchester is the city that honed me into a poet and translator, so I am excited not only to represent the place I call home, but to also share my passion for multilingualism.”

 

Ali was a Manchester City Poet between 2021-2024, and in that time created the following works:

‘The Stories We Thread’
Written and performed for World Poetry Day 2021, supported by Manchester City of Literature and Manchester Poetry Library

‘In Prisms of Knowledge’ poetry film
Commissioned for Festival of Libraries 2022

In Conversation with Najwan Darwish and Salim Barakat
Supported by Poetry Translation Centre and Manchester City of Literature, part of a series in partnership with British Council

Al-Usra wal-Sufra: Family and Feasts Workshop
A poetry workshop with Arabic Sunday Schools to celebrate International Mother Language Day 2023

‘This Here’ by Anjum Malik
Arabic Translation

‘The Streets Remember’ by Jova Bagioli Reyes
Arabic Translation

The RoundView
Arabic Translation

Embassy of Utopia
Reading for Festival of Libraries 2024

‘The Roads That Lead to Edinburgh’ Group Poem and Translation
Commissioned to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the UNESCO Cities of Literature Network and Edinburgh City of Literature

Slamovision 2024
Performance

‘Crisis of Humanity’
Commissioned and published by Manchester City of Literature to celebrate International Day of the Arabic Language, December 2024

‘We Are Butterflies Forever in Flight’ by Anjum Malik
Arabic Translation