Literature festival wraps up with ‘joyous experience’

The 14th edition of the Emirates Airline Festival of Literature drew to a close on Sunday after an 11-day extravaganza featuring more than 180 authors from 47 countries, and the biggest-ever presence of home-grown talent.

The official ceremony on Feb.4 was attended by Sheikha Latifa Bint Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Chairperson of Dubai Culture and Arts Authority (Dubai Culture) and member of the Executive Council of Dubai, and Noura Bint Mohammed Al Kaabi, Minister of Culture and Youth. The ceremony also featured authors including Sasha Bates, Danabelle Gutierrez, Arqam, Amal Al Sahlawi, Salma Serry, Ashraf Al Ashmawi, and Ben Miller who each gave their interpretation of the festival’s theme “Here Comes the Sun,” followed by a joyous performance from Dubai Youth Choir and Repton School Choir.

Ahlam Bolooki, the Director of the Festival, commented, “This festival has been such a joyous experience, and it has been especially meaningful because we could see how much we were all starved for it. Throughout the event, we noticed audience members lingering after the sessions for spontaneous conversations with each other and clearly relishing the interaction. The festival has lived up to its theme of bringing light, optimism, and a much longed-for reunion of authors and audiences.”

“Our festival would not be possible without the support of the Board of Trustees of the Emirates Literature Foundation and our many sponsors, especially our title sponsor, Emirates Airline, and our founding partner, Dubai Culture. We thank all our partners and supporters. We are a small team and rely on our wonderful volunteers to run such a large and complex event, and we are deeply thankful for their hard work. Lastly, I would like to give a massive thank you to the foundation’s team, who work year-round to make the festival a reality,” Bolooki said.

Many sessions throughout the festival were sold out, including the session by the multi-talented top children’s author, David Walliams, the dinner with the maestro of Italian cooking, Alessandro Borghese, and the session with Gary Vaynerchuk that provided cutting-edge insights from the entrepreneur. Ahmed Mourad, Azza Fahmy, and Ahmed El Ghandour, were also popular choices with audiences as were French-Japanese animator Ken Arto, writer Toshikazu Kawaguchi, House of Gucci writer, Sara Gay Forden, and Bridgerton author Julia Quinn.

There was also a focus on space travel with Nasa astronaut Nicole Stott, and UAE space astronaut Hazzaa Al Mansoori.

Boutros Boutros, Emirates’ Divisional Senior Vice President, Corporate Communications, Marketing and Brand said, “As long-term supporters of the festival, connecting avid readers and literary buffs with celebrated authors and thinkers remains at the heart of our sponsorship. This year’s successful Emirates Airline Festival of Literature once again saw some of the world’s best storytellers and authors engaging their audiences with ideas and offering their vision to imagine the world in a new way.”

The festival’s opening on Feb.3 focused on Emirati writers. Highlights of the day included Omar Saif Ghobash in a riveting conversation on his life and work, a panel of Emirati readings with authors Ibrahim Ali Khadim, Nadia Alnajjar, and Salha Obaid, an interview with Khalaf Ahmad Al Habtoor, and many more.

Dr Saeed Mubarak Bin Kharbash, CEO of the Arts and Literature Sector at the Dubai Culture and Arts Authority, expressed his pride in the success of this edition of the festival, saying, “Year after year, the festival affirms its important position among all society members as it provides a wonderful opportunity for culture and literature enthusiasts to communicate and interact with talents from around the world.”

Kharbash added, “This year, we continued our support for outstanding Emirati talents on Emirati Cultural Day, which witnessed a remarkable turnout for its rich activities and sessions. We look forward to more creativity in the festival’s next edition. We will certainly harness our energies to ensure its success and for the festival to remain a unique platform for advancing the literature sector in Dubai, the UAE and the region, and represent a bridge of knowledge and cultural communication between talents in various fields of literature and culture inside and outside the country.”

WAM