Yesterday, the Emirates Airline Festival of Literature, which 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, may God protect him, revealed the list of guests participating in the 16th edition of the festival, which is scheduled to be held in… The period between January 31 and February 6, 2024 at the InterContinental Hotel Dubai Festival City, in addition to full program details.
The list of speakers includes a group of the brightest names in the fields of literature, culture and arts at the global and local levels, the most prominent of whom are the distinguished writer Ibrahim Al-Koni, the two Emirati astronauts, Hazza Al-Mansouri and Sultan Al-Neyadi, the writer who won the International Prize for Arabic Fiction in 2023, Zahran Al-Qasimi, and the talented poet Amal Al-Sahlawi. , writer and doctor Ashraf Fakih, and publisher Khaled Al-Nasiri from the famous “Med” publishing house.
The festival program includes more than 150 events, including the “We Love Life” event; A special night of poetry and performances honoring the works of the Palestinian poet Mahmoud Darwish, and a “Late Night Program” session; An exciting dialogue brings together journalist Ibrahim Astadi, known for his fun and bold style, with three creative people in their fields: Ahmed Khabit, Ashraf Fakih, and Kholoud Amir. The big weekend concludes with a concert by the talented Rashid Al Nuaimi.
Inspiration
Ahlam Bolooki, CEO of the Emirates Literature Foundation, Director of the Emirates Airline Festival of Literature, and Administrative Director of ELF Publishing, expressed her great happiness at the launch of the sixteenth session of the festival, and said: “Our inspiration for designing the program of the sixteenth session of the Emirates Literature Festival was the ability of stories to reflect… Our opinions and self-expression; We have prepared a program that reflects the life processes we live today. A program in which the public, local and international, can see their interests and concerns.”
She added: “The festival is a place that brings people together, regardless of their differences, in love with the written and spoken word and enables them to form deep connections that last a lifetime. Therefore, I invite all people, readers and non-readers, to visit the Emirates Literature Festival to embark on an unparalleled journey… a journey that explores human creativity in all its forms.” The festival is held in partnership with the official sponsor, Emirates Airlines, and the founding partner, Dubai Culture and Arts Authority (Dubai Culture).
The Dubai Culture and Arts Authority (Dubai Culture) sponsors the “In the Emirati” theme for this year. The theme celebrates Emirati culture and gives Emirati and international writers the opportunity to meet on the festival stage, with a range of diverse experiences.
In this context, Dr. Saeed Mubarak bin Kharbash, Executive Director of the Arts and Literature Sector at Dubai Culture, pointed out the authority’s keenness to support talent in various fields of culture and arts, which is in line with its commitments aimed at empowering members of the creative community and creating a sustainable, incubating environment. them and is able to motivate them to present their literary and artistic productions during the Emirates Airline Festival of Literature to a local and international audience. He said: “Over time, the festival has turned into an effective platform for supporting talents, exchanging ideas, and anticipating the future of the cultural and literary sector, and with its program and activities full of fun and knowledge, it represents part of the cultural movement that Dubai is witnessing. Dubai Culture is proud of its partnership with the festival, which has enriched the local creative scene and contributed to highlighting many exceptional cultural experiences.”
Special events
The special events offered by the festival witness a large audience every year. In this edition, the festival presents a distinguished lineup of special events, such as the opening ceremony, which includes Saud Al-Sanousi, Ben Okri, Claudia Rankine, Amal Al-Sahlawi, Hala Olayan and Ammar Ashkar. The festival audience’s favorite evening is “Verses from the Depths of the Desert,” which is a night full of literature and poetry under the starry sky in the “Kervan Saray” camp and with an elite group of international and local poets.
On another warm evening, poetry meets oud strings at the Theater of Digital Art (ToDA) in Souq Madinat Jumeirah, where stories are told and poetry is recited with Ahmed Bakhit, Amal Al Sahlawi, and Dr. Shihab Ghanem, Aisha Al-Seifi and Muhammad Al-Habsi. On the tenth anniversary of his passing, the festival celebrates the poet Onsi Al-Hajj, a poet, a human being, and a philosopher, in the presence of his daughter, the poet Nada Al-Hajj, and the presentation of the writer Salha Obaid. As for “1,2,3.. Action,” festival-goers will enjoy an exclusive package of short films with an exciting talk about cinema and filmmaking with Nawaf Al-Janahi and Nujoom Al-Ghanem.
On a journey through time, the audience explores with three of the stalwarts of Emirati literature, His Excellency Mohammed Ahmed Al-Murr, Ali Abu Al-Rish and Dr. Rafia Ghobash, the cultural and literary scene in the United Arab Emirates. In an hour of pure nostalgia, the audience will recall the spirit of the eighties and nineties with Saud Al-Sanousi, Abdulaziz Al-Musallam, and Najwa Barakat. In a special session, the audience, along with Sarah Al-Sarraf, Aisha Al-Saifi, and all the women, search for an answer to the most important question: “Who is the real enemy of women?” In “In the Investigation Room,” the audience searches for a solution to the mystery of a complex case with the writer specializing in crime literature, Ibrahim Farghaly. In a session full of creativity in all its forms, the engineer and artist Maryam Al-Balushi, the composer Iman Al-Hashemi, and the contemporary artist Ahmed Al-Anazi, in the “Words Not Like Words” session, talk about art from the reality of their experiences.
Family programme
The festival brings together the best writers and artists in children’s literature from around the world for a weekend of inspiration and fun for young readers. In the “Festival with a Childhood Flavor!”, the youngest child writers from the Emirate of Dubai shine on stage, while the best young artists, poets and storytellers from the Emirates gather to display their talents on the “Live Arts Theater.” Al Dhabi, Saeed Al Muhairi, and Muzna Najib talk about literature, writing, and achieving dreams.
Workshops
The Emirates Literature Festival offers a variety of dialogues and workshops on book publishing as an industry and business, in an effort to explore the writing community and the world of publishing. The festival invites all those passionate about writing and literature to join the “Encounter” event, where they will be able to build relationships and join an effective and vibrant community. In a thought-provoking session, publishers Khaled Al-Nasri and Nahid Al-Shawa meet with writers Ahmed Abdel Latif and Asma Al-Zarouni to discuss the Arab publishing industry, which has always been characterized by ambiguity, in the “The Opposite Direction: Between Publisher and Writer” session.
The festival hosts special sessions for students during the festival period, in addition to organizing school visits for writers.
On a special journey with the writer and puppeteer, Doha Khasawneh, children explore hidden secrets in the “Let’s Think So We Can Fly” session. With the creative artist Ali Al-Zaini in the “Time to Draw” session, children immerse themselves in the world of drawing and imagination.
