Under the 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, and in the presence of Her Highness Sheikha Latifa bint Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, President of the Dubai Culture and Arts Authority and Member of the Dubai Council, the Emirates Airline Festival of Literature was opened – One of the most prominent leading literary events in the world – the activities of its sixteenth session, which will be held from January 31 to February 6, 2024, with the support of the main sponsor, Emirates Airlines, and the founding partner, Dubai Culture and Arts Authority. The official ceremony included the presentation of a group of exceptional writers and speakers: the poet, novelist and writer, Sir Ben Okri, winner of the 1991 International Booker Prize; award-winning poet, Claudia Rankine; And the best-selling writer and novelist, Saud Al Sanousi, winner of the International Prize for Arabic Fiction in 2013, for readings from their books and a special glimpse into worlds and stories we have never heard of before. They were joined by the Emirati poet Amal Al Sahlawi, a member of the “Untitled Chapters” group, and the artist Ammar Ashkar. In a distinguished poetry performance. The sixteenth session of the Emirates Airline Festival of Literature hosts 160 diverse events, workshops and special programs such as “After Day at Night,” “Forum of Ideas,” family activities, and Youth Day. The opening ceremony began with the announcement of the finalists for the third session of the “First Semester: Emirates Fellowship for Literature and My Friend for Writers” program, the first mentorship program of its kind in the region that seeks to support promising local writers.
The fellowship, which included a number of international writers, publishers, and literary agents, achieved great success over the past years, as Sarah Hamdan, a graduate of the first year of the fellowship, signed a contract to publish two books with the American publishing house Henry Holt and Company, which is a prestigious international house that has published the works of major writers. Her first novel, “What Will People Say?” was published in 2025. 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 start of the festival, saying: The festival reflects the image of life around us, with its diverse stories and anecdotes. As we gather today to make these stories a beacon for us to learn and understand our world and to travel with them to new worlds in which there are no limits to our creativity and imagination and to motivate us to turn this imagination into reality. She added: This edition celebrates not only individual stories, but also the power of community. From the discussions that build special connections, the dialogues in the “Forum of Ideas” where opinions and points of view are shared, the Family Program events that inspire curiosity in future generations, to the liveliness of the “After Day at Night” program and in every corner of the festival, the festival is brought to life. Stories in all their forms and types. Boutros Boutros, Emirates Senior Vice President of Corporate Communications, Marketing and Branding, said: The opening ceremony of the event represents what the Emirates Airline Festival of Literature is full of, with inspiring performances and lively discussions, and storytelling contributes to building bridges of communication between cultures and bringing us closer to each other. We have continued to support the Emirates Airline Festival of Literature from the beginning, and have watched it grow to become a key event on Dubai's thriving arts and culture agenda. We look forward to seeing what the festival has to offer us this year.
The festival welcomes more than 160 male and female speakers from around the world, with Emirati writers making up about a third of this number. The list of participating guests includes; His Excellency Dr. Sultan bin Saif Al Neyadi, Minister of State for Youth; Emirati astronaut Hazza Al Mansouri; Artist and cultural envoy Fatima Lootah; The writer and poet Ali Abu Al-Rish, whose novel “Confession” is considered one of the hundred most important Arab novels of the current era; And writer Reem Al Kamali, who was shortlisted for the International Prize for Arabic Fiction in 2022 for her novel “The Rose Diaries.” And the beloved artist Rashid Al Nuaimi.
The Dubai Culture and Arts Authority “Dubai Culture” sponsors the “In the Emirati” theme for this year. Which celebrates Emirati culture and highlights the creative talents in the UAE and the efforts made to build an economy based on knowledge and innovation. Dr. Saeed Mubarak bin Kharbash, Executive Director of the Arts and Literature Sector at the Dubai Culture and Arts Authority, Dubai Culture, pointed out that the Emirates Airline Festival of Literature has become an integral part of the local cultural community thanks to the various programs and events it presents annually that highlight the capabilities of the local culture and arts sector. He said: “Dubai Culture, in cooperation with the festival, has succeeded in creating a suitable environment to enable Emirati writers and intellectuals to interact with their counterparts from around the world and exchange ideas and experiences with them, in addition to empowering and supporting emerging talents and providing the qualitative opportunities they need that encourage them to express their creativity and different ideas.” This reflects the richness of the local cultural scene and Dubai’s ability to attract creative people in various fields.
He noted that the Emirati hub, sponsored by Dubai Culture since 2009, contributes to opening horizons for Emirati creativity, and represents an opportunity for all literature lovers to explore the diversity of local literary production, thanks to the inspiring intellectual workshops and sessions it provides, which contribute to enhancing knowledge and spreading culture among all members of society.
The Emirates Literature Festival also offers its fans a variety of special events over the next week, such as the famous “Verses from the Depths of the Desert” event at the “Caravan Saray” camp, which combines the beauty of poetry with the sand dunes of the Dubai desert and the starry sky. At the Theater of Digital Art (ToDA), an exceptional evening of poetry and oud is held, which blends poetry with music with an elite group of poets and artists from around the Arab world.
In a poignant tribute evening, the Palestinian poet Dana Dajani meets with a group of stars from the Arab world to revive the legacy of the great poet Mahmoud Darwish in the “And We Love Life” evening.
The festival also celebrates the legacy of the writer and poet Onsi Al-Hajj in the “Creatures Mail” session, in the presence of his daughter, the poet Nada Al-Hajj, and the presentation of the writer Salha Obaid. The TikTok Book Awards will also be held for the first time in the region, honoring the winners of the “Book Talk” hashtag content on the TikTok platform, and the beloved Emirati singer Rashid Al Nuaimi will present a distinguished ceremony.
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