Myriem El-Kaddouri (1994, BEL) is a jurist, poet, and spoken word artist. In her work, she explores themes such as identity, gender, social justice, and the way personal stories are connected to broader societal issues. In 2025, she won the C. Buddingh’ Prize, for which the jury wrote: “El-Kaddouri’s truth appears daily, hides in the smallest gestures, passes through the fingers like a bead of a tasbih. In a swaying cadence, she gently touches the past—like our blood, after a long journey, ultimately reaches the heart again.” From 2024 to 2027, she serves as Poet Laureate (Letterzetter) of Kortrijk.

How you might know this poet

• Winner of the C. Buddingh’ Prize for Best Dutch-Language Debut Poetry 2025.
• In 2023, she delivered a speech on gender equality to the Council of the European Union at the request of the Belgian State and later became West Flanders Poetry Slam champion.
• Curator of the Memento Woordfestival.