Emirates News Agency – The Emirates Airline Festival of Literature kicks off with the participation of the world’s most famous writers, thinkers and creators

Dubai, February 1st / WAM / WAM / The Emirates Airline Festival of Literature launched today with the wide participation of the world’s most famous writers, thinkers, innovators, leading experts who have won the highest awards and honors, and elite Hollywood stars.

The festival offers events, sessions, workshops, performances, music, poetry, film screenings, and inspiring dialogues for the biggest stars of literature, art, and thought, and everything that satisfies all tastes.

The festival, which will be held this year at the InterContinental Hotel Dubai Festival City and the Mohammed bin Rashid Library, from February 1 to February 6, will host more than 300 sessions.

This year, the festival hosts a distinguished group, most notably Maysoon Saqr Al Qasimi, the first Emirati novelist to win the Sheikh Zayed Book Award – Literature Branch for the year 2022, and the able writer Inaam Kachaji, in addition to a distinguished group of winners, including Muhammad Al-Naas and Jalal Barjas, and the candidates for the International Prize for Arabic Fiction such as Tariq Imam and Reem Al-Kamali. Al-Rawi, Mohsen Al-Wakili, Khaled Al-Nasrallah, and more testified.

This year, the festival also welcomes Brian Cox, Emmy Award winner for his series “Caliphate” and the greatest storytellers, Mohsen Hamed, Alexander McCall Smith and Jeffrey Archer, in addition to the most famous children’s authors, Dr. Reem Al Gurg, Fatima Sharafuddin, Amal Nasser, Jekar Khurshid, David Walliam and Ben Miller and Oliver Jeffers.

Ahlam Bulooki, director of the festival, stated that the program for the 2023 edition is the largest since the launch of the festival, with the participation of 270 writers and creators from all over the world, representing more than 50 countries.

She added, “What remains the same is the place where stories are told and creativity is embodied. This year, the festival presents, over the course of the six days, a series of dialogues, seminars, sessions, and workshops that not only target lovers of reading and literature, but also reflect all interests, including music, technology, health, science, and more.” The festival consolidated its position. As a platform for the world’s most famous thinkers and writers, a launching pad for new writers, and an incubator for ideas of creative change.

“We have taken the initiative to support the Emirates Airline Festival of Literature since its inception,” said Boutros Boutros, Senior Vice President of Emirates Airline for Joint Communications, Marketing and Branding, expressing his happiness to continue contributing to the growth of this event by achieving communication between more than 1,200 novelists, writers, thinkers and all categories. The community has been book lovers here in the UAE since 2009. The support of Emirates Airlines, the main sponsor of the event, has enabled the local community to gain access to new and unique perspectives and experiences and look forward to bringing together literary buffs with authors who inspire and enrich their daily experiences.

For his part, Dr. Saeed Mubarak bin Kharbsha, Executive Director of the Arts and Literature Sector in Dubai Culture, stressed the importance of the role played by the Emirates Airline Festival of Literature in enriching the local cultural scene and activating the literary movement at the local and international levels, noting the transformation of the Emirates Airline Festival of Literature. To a qualitative cultural event that brings together annually a group of creators, writers and writers to discuss various topics that reflect the uniqueness of the local and global cultural and creative scene, which supports the commitments of “Dubai Culture” aimed at empowering creators. Pointing to the authority’s support for all cultural events taking place in Dubai as important platforms To showcase talent creations in various cultural and artistic sectors.
He added that over the past years, “Emirates Airline for Literature” has succeeded in creating a suitable environment for Emirati writers, intellectuals and talents, and enabling them to express their creativity.

The Emirates Literature Foundation also announced fruitful cooperation agreements with the Mohammed bin Rashid Library, the launch of “Emirates Literature in Space”, which is an interesting educational initiative in cooperation with the Mohammed bin Rashid Space Center, and the start of a 9-month partnership with the city of Wexpo, which will be crowned by the United Nations Climate Conference. COP28″ in November 2023.

Isabelle Abul-Hol, CEO and member of the Board of Trustees of the Emirates Literature Foundation, spoke about the uniqueness of the new edition of the festival and said, “We dedicate this special edition of the festival to our dear friends and new partners, without whom we would not have grown and prospered and we would not have presented anything without the support of the Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Foundation.” Emirates Literature, His Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Vice-President, Her Highness Sheikha Latifa bint Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Official Sponsor Emirates Airlines and Co-Founder, Dubai Culture and Arts Authority, Sponsors of the Festival City, InterContinental Hotel Dubai Festival City, Mohammed Bin Rashid Library, Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Center and Expo City Dubai.

He thanked all local and international writers, publishers, volunteers, and the public. All partners have proven that great things can be achieved when we work together to achieve a common goal, which is to spread the love of reading.

This year, the Emirates Airline Festival of Literature cooperated with the Mohammed Bin Rashid Library to expand its activities and hold many events in the library. The rare debut of William Shakespeare and Arabic poetry translated to most languages ​​in its outdoor garden, with stunning views over the creek and easy access to it via public transportation. The partnership allows the festival to host more events, accommodate a larger number of audiences, and build bridges for the art, culture and literature community.

For his part, Dr. Mohammed Salem Al Mazrouei, a board member of the Mohammed bin Rashid Library Foundation, expressed his happiness at the strategic cultural partnership with the Emirates Airline Festival of Literature, which represents one of the most prominent literary platforms to promote cultural and literary movement in the UAE, as well as its role in enriching the intellectual, creative and knowledge scene in the Arab world. He affirmed the library’s keenness, from the first moments of its establishment, to expand cooperation with all government and private agencies towards consolidating a culture of science and knowledge and stimulating passion among new generations, in a way that meets the aspirations and aspirations of the wise leadership in reducing the knowledge gap in the region, reviving the spirit of knowledge among our peoples, and building societies armed with science and knowledge.

He noted the library’s keenness to host and support knowledge initiatives and events in all fields and related disciplines in theaters and various halls designated for lectures, conferences, cultural and artistic festivals, local and international theatrical, cinematic and musical performances, equipped with the latest technologies in accordance with the highest international standards and practices to provide an ideal experience for holding events.

His Excellency Salem Humaid Al Marri, Director General of the Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Center, touched on the center’s cooperation with the Emirates Literature Foundation, due to its positive impact on our society, indicating that the launch of the Emirates Literature Foundation in space is in line with the primary goal of the Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Center represented in building a new generation of Scientists, researchers and talents capable of accelerating the growth of the space sector in the United Arab Emirates.
He said, “This year, we will witness many joint cultural and community initiatives between the Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Center and the Emirates Literature Foundation, which will enhance the culture of learning and the dissemination of knowledge by benefiting from the capabilities and expertise of both sides.”

Nadia Verjee, Executive Director of Expo Dubai Group, said, “Expo 2020 Dubai brought together the world so that we can learn from each other and get to know each other better, and we will continue in Expo Dubai to harness the legacy of connecting minds and making the future through constructive exchange of ideas and viewpoints, sharing stories, seeking solutions to challenges, and research.” On the big opportunities of our time including climate action, gender equality and women’s empowerment.
The Connecting Minds Book Club from Expo City Dubai, in collaboration with the Emirates Literature Foundation, is an opportunity for the community to join us here at Expo Dubai, to continue thinking, challenging and developing the way we think. It is part of a wide range of programs and events that will achieve communication across cultures and generations as we prepare to host the world once again at the Emirates Climate Conference COP28, and we look forward to stimulating individual and collective climate action, from the UAE to the world.

The program for the Emirates Airline Festival of Literature is coordinated by Ahlam Bulooki, Festival Director, with Tamriz Inaam, Assistant Director of the Festival and the Programs Team. For the first time, the guest of honor and friend of the festival, poet Lim Sisay, joins the team. The writer and poet nominated for the British Academy of Film and Television Arts award and winner of many international awards participated in the festival’s sessions for the years 2014, 2015, 2018 and 2021. He returns this year to participate in coordinating and organizing sessions on poetry in addition to the literature he Focuses on children in foster homes, which is the subject closest to his heart.

The Emirates Airline Festival of Literature is the most prominent program of the Emirates Literature Foundation, and is held under the generous patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, in partnership with Emirates Airlines and the Dubai Culture and Arts Authority “Dubai Culture”.