Wales appoints Hanan Issa as its first Muslim national poet

Hanan Issa, a Welsh-Iraqi poet, film-maker and artist, has been named the fifth national poet of Wales.

As national poet Issa, who is due to serve a three-year term, will represent the diverse cultures and languages of Wales and act as an ambassador for the people of Wales.

Issa’s collection My Body Can House Two Hearts was published in 2019. She also contributed to Welsh (Plural): Essays on the Future of Wales and The Mab, a retelling of the Mabinogi stories for children, both published this year.

Issa, who is from Cardiff, said being the first Muslim in the role was an “incredibly positive step” and that it was “exciting to think that Wales is taking the lead on this aspect of representation”.

Muslim women often “get squashed into very narrow perceptions”, she said. She hoped that women “from all different demographics” will see her and think: “That’s a thing that’s achievable for me.” (UK Guardian)