Shawqi Abdul Amir

Shawqi Abdul Amir
Born	(1949-09-12) September 12, 1949 Nassiriyah, Iraq
Occupation(s)	Poet, diplomat, journalist, cultural advisor
Years active	1970s–present
Known for	Founder of Kitâb fî Jarîda; cultural advisor at UNESCO; press consultant at South Yemen Embassy in Paris

Shawqi Abdul Amir (born 12 September 1949) is an Iraqi poet and ex-diplomat. Originating from Nassiriyah, he obtained a master's degree in comparative literature from the Sorbonne in 1974. His career began with teaching in Algeria, followed by roles in journalism and cultural affairs. He held the position of press consultant at the South Yemen Embassy in Paris and has been leading the Yemeni Cultural Center in Paris since 1991. In 1995, he launched Kitâb fî Jarîda, an initiative aimed at delivering free literary content throughout the Arab world, particularly for those lacking access to books.

Life

Shawqi Abdul Amir was born on 12 September 1949 in Nassiriyah. He earned his master's degree from the Sorbonne in 1974. His professional journey included teaching assignments in Algeria before moving into journalism and cultural sectors, where he served as editor-in-chief of Le Monde Arabe (?) and as press consultant at the Embassy of the People's Democratic Republic of Yemen in Paris. For ten years, he contributed as an international cultural relations expert at UNESCO, acting as Iraq's cultural advisor. He is also the founder of Kitâb fî Jarîda, recognized as the largest Arab cultural project supported by UNESCO. After spending 35 years living in exile across Algeria, Yemen, and Paris, he eventually established residence in Beirut, Lebanon.