Emirates Literature Festival Unveils Ambitious Plans for Annual Event and Year-Round Programming

Festival will host new events and experiences in the form of LitFest After Hours, Discovery Talks, LitFest Families and Youth Day.
The parent organization, Emirates Literature Foundation, announces dynamic partnerships with Dubai Culture, UNESCO and Dubai Civil Defence and unveils initiatives for the community

Dubai, UAE – The highly anticipated Emirates Airline Festival of Literature, a literary extravaganza uniting global writers, thinkers, and creatives, is just a fortnight away. The festival promises a diverse array of events, including LitFest After Hours, Discovery Talks, LitFest Families, and Youth Day, ensuring an immersive experience for attendees.

LitFest After Hours: The festivities extend beyond daylight hours with a mix of performances, games, activities, and culinary delights from Thursday to Sunday, creating a vibrant atmosphere for all.

Discovery Talks: Engaging and free-to-attend lectures featuring renowned speakers exploring intriguing perspectives on topics ranging from the Spiderverse and Chinese mythology to Arabic language and artificial intelligence.

LitFest Families: A weekend designed for young readers, featuring the finest children’s storytellers and illustrators from the UAE and around the world, offering a variety of adventures from dragons and superheroes to teen spies and poetry.

Youth Day: A curated day of events for university and high school students covering themes from artificial intelligence to literature, business, and sustainability, with a focus on Arabic culture.

The stellar lineup includes notable personalities such as 2023 Booker Prize-winner Paul Lynch, Booker Prize-winning author Bernardine Evaristo, UAE astronaut Hazza AlMansoori, BookTok sensation Curtis Sittenfeld, and many more. Special events include a tribute to Palestinian poet Mahmoud Darwish, a conversation between Bernardine Evaristo and Claudia Rankine, and the regional TikTok Book Awards.

Ahlam Bolooki, CEO of Emirates Literature Foundation, expressed excitement about the innovative events and collaborations that reflect their commitment to shaping a literary landscape resonating with the audience’s pulse.

L-R: **Isobel Abulhoul OBE** *(Founder and Advisor)*, **Ahlam Bolooki** *(CEO) and* **Dania Droubi** *(COO)*.
*(Image Credit: Supplied)*

The festival also unveiled a series of book launches, notably “Out of This World” by Dr. Sultan Al Neyadi, a photo journal capturing the beauty of space during the Minister of Youth’s 6-month visit to the International Space Station.

Emirates Airline Festival of Literature, under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, is supported by Title Sponsor Emirates Airline and Founding Partner Dubai Culture & Arts Authority.

Badr Abbas, Emirates’ Senior Vice President of Commercial Operations, Africa, emphasized the festival’s contribution to enriching Dubai’s position as a flourishing art and culture hub year-round.

The festival expanded its partnership with Dubai Culture & Arts Authority to promote Emirati and UAE-based authors globally through the ‘Bil Emirati strand,’ aiming to amplify regional literary talents on international platforms.

The Emirates Literature Foundation received official relations status from UNESCO, recognizing its commitment to education and sustainability.

The Foundation will relocate to Al Shindagha Historic Neighbourhood in April 2024, marking the relaunch of the Dubai International Writer’s Center. Additionally, the ELF Reading Caravan, a mobile library and event space, will soon traverse Dubai neighborhoods to foster a love for literature.

The Emirates Airline Festival of Literature is scheduled from January 31 to February 6 at the Intercontinental Dubai Festival City, featuring 160 events.