# Youssef Rzouga

Youssef Rzouga is a Tunisian writer and poet, born on March 21, 1957 in Zorda, Tunisia. He began writing in 1967. His first published text was "Something called need," a short story in the magazine Radio et Télévision (1973).

## Education

Rzouga studied at the School of Zorda in Sidi Alouane. He continued his education at Ksour Essef secondary school and the school of Sousse. He received the following degrees:
* Master’s Degree in Journalism and information sciences (Political sciences).
* Diploma in Russian language from the Faculty Patrice Lumumba, Moscow.
* Postgraduate Diploma in Political sciences from the Faculté des droits et des sciences politiques of Tunis.
* Theories of art and aesthetics Postgraduate Diploma, from the Institut supérieur de Beaux-arts of Tunis.
* Postgraduate Diploma, journalism and information sciences.

## Career

* Editor of El-Amal, a daily paper (1980-1982)
* From 1982-1987 he was the Chief Editor of the Ministry of Culture's magazine Ach’er (La poésie)
* Editor of the daily paper Elhoria (1987-1989)
* Chief editor of the Aljil Aljadid magazine (1990-1992)
* Since 1989, Rzouga has been the Chief editor of the literary supplement Warakat Thakafiya of the Tunisian daily paper Essahafa.

## Honours and awards

Rzouga has been achieved several awards, including the Tunisian Ministry of Culture award 3 times:
* 1981: Award of the ministry of Culture for his poetic book I’m distinguished from you by my grievances
* 1986: Award of the ministry of Culture for his poetic book The program of the rose.
* 1999: Award of the ministry of Culture for his poetic book The Wolf in the Word.
* 2000: National merit award in the cultural field
* 2002: Youssef Rzouga Award of Poetry (A yearly Poetic Prize started in 2002, awarded to the best young poet within the framework of The Meeting of Greater on literary creation).
* 2003: Aboulkacem Chebbi Prize for his poetic book: Flowers of Dioxyde of History.
* 2003: The Pen of the Poet Youssef Rzouga (A yearly Poetic Prize started in July 2003 in Sidi Alouan).
* 2004: Prize of the gouvernorat of Mahdia for his poetic book: Emergency Case Declaration.
* 2004: King Abdallah II’s creativity Prize / Jordan.
* President of the club Mercredi littéraire in Tunis since 1988.
* Member of the Union of Tunisian Writers
* Member of the Union of Arab Writers
* Member of the Tunisian Association of Journalists

## Works

Youssef Rzouga has written many poems and prose pieces:
* I'm distinguished from you by my grievances (1979)
* The program of the Rose (1985)
* The Astrolabe of Youssef the traveler (1986)
* The Wolf in the Word (1998)
* The Country Between the Hands (2001)
* Flowers of Dioxyde of History (2001)
* Emergency Case Declaration (2002)
* The Butterfly and the Dynamite (2004)
* Yogana (The Book of Poetic Yoga) (2004)
* Poetical Works (Volume I)... (2003)

## Critical reviews

* The Garden and its surroundings (Aspects of the career of the poet Youssef Rzouga, 224 pages) By: Khaled Mejri and Chawki Anizi
* Globalization and poetic Language in Flowers of Dioxyde of History by Maher Derbel and Abderrazek Kolsi.
* The Troubadour of Modern Times, edited by Walid Soliman.
* The Half-open Door, by Hafedh Mahfoudh.
* Down with the mask, by Chamseddine Ouni.
* The orchestra of the poet in Emergency Case Declaration by Houyem Ferchichi.