Dubai, 1 February 2023: The Emirates Airline Festival of Literature begins today with a starry mix of Hollywood celebrity, award-winning authors and experts leading the field on matters shaping the world. Across the week-long event, the festival will feature almost 300 sessions, ensuring there’s something for everyone, from live music and poetry performances to workshops, film screenings, and of course inspiring talks from some of the biggest names in literature. It takes place at the InterContinental Dubai Festival City, and across the creek at the Mohammed Bin Rashid Library from 1-6 February 2023.
One of the top 10 literary festivals in the world, the Emirates Airline Festival of Literature, kicked off in Dubai at the Mohammed bin Rashid Library and InterContinental Dubai Festival City. With the largest lineup ever, including over 260 writers and talents from across the world in more than 300 sessions and workshops covering a variety of topics like literature, the arts, culture, and more, the “crystal edition” is anticipated to be “extraordinary,” according to the organizers. Brian Cox, the Emmy-winning patriarch of the popular streaming series Succession, as well as the master storytellers Jeffrey Archer, Cecelia Ahern, Mohsin Hamid, and Alexander McCall Smith, the Indian politician Shashi Tharoor, the well-known religious commentator Reza Aslan, the multi-talented top children’s author David Walliams, and others are among the most well-known names on the list.
The festival’s main event, Desert Stanzas, will return tonight with poetry readings and stories that inspire reflection while paying homage to ancient knowledge and traditions. Additionally, a performance-based dedication to the planet’s preservation and the COP28 narrative will be presented.
“The scale of the programme is our greatest yet with 270 authors from around the world participating this year, representing more than 50 nations worldwide”, said Ahlam Bolooki, Festival Director. “what remains the same is that the Festival is the place where stories happen, and the range of topics presented over the six days include not just talks and discussions aimed at avid readers but conversations and performances that will engage and enthral those that do not consider themselves book lovers. The Festival has cemented its reputation as a showcase of global names, a launchpad for new authors and an incubator for world-changing ideas.”
Boutros Boutros, Emirates’ Divisional Senior Vice President, Corporate Communications, Marketing & Brand said: We’ve been supporting the Emirates Airline Festival of Literature since the very beginning, and we’re pleased to have helped grow the event by connecting over 1,200 storytellers, writers and thinkers to the diverse community of book lovers here in the UAE since 2009. As the title sponsor of the festival, Emirates’ support has helped empower local communities to explore new and unique perspectives and experiences, and we look forward to uniting literature buffs with authors who inspire them and enrich their daily experiences.”
Dr Saeed Mubarak bin Kharbash, CEO of the Arts & Literature Sector at Dubai Culture, affirmed the importance of the Emirates Airline Festival of Literature role in activating the literary movement locally and globally, saying: “The Emirates Airline Festival of Literature has turned into a qualitative cultural event that annually brings together a group of creatives, writers and authors to discuss topics that reflect the uniqueness of the local and global cultural and creative scene, which supports the commitments of Dubai Culture aimed at empowering creatives and supporting all the cultural and creative events taking place in Dubai, as important platforms for showcasing the creativity of talent”.
For its 2023 edition, the Emirates Airline Festival of Literature has joined forces with Mohammed Bin Rashid Library to expand its reach across the creek. The iconic building in Al Jaddaf is a regular stop not just for resident readers but also for tourists who enjoy the beautiful architecture, the vast titles including rare first edition by William Shakespeare, the ode to Arabic literature in their outdoor gardens, breath-taking views over the creek and easily accessibility by public transport. The partnership allows the Festival to host a bigger programme of events and accommodate larger number of audiences as well as symbolises the bridging of the art, culture, lifestyle and literature community.
“We are pleased with this strategic cultural partnership with the Emirates Airline Festival of Literature, one of the most prominent platforms for promoting the cultural and literary scene in the UAE, enriching the intellectual, creative and knowledge landscape across the Arab world. Since its inception, MBRL has been keen to cooperate with all government and private entities to cultivate the passion for knowledge and learning among new generations. The Library aims to realise the aspirations of our wise leadership to bridge the knowledge gap in the region, revive the spark of acquiring knowledge within the people, and build societies equipped with science and knowledge,” said Dr. Mohammed Salem Al Mazrouei, Board Member of the Mohammed Bin Rashid Library Foundation, “We are committed to hosting and supporting intellectual initiatives and activities in all related fields and disciplines, welcoming various events to our dedicated spaces suitable for meetings, workshops, lectures, organising сultural and artistic festivals, hosting local and international film screenings, theatre performances, and music concerts. All these facilities are equipped with the latest technology in accordance with the highest international standards and practices to provide an ideal event experience.”
The Emirates Airline Festival of Literature is the flagship event of the Emirates Literature Foundation, held under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the United Arab Emirates and Ruler of Dubai. The festival is organised in partnership with Emirates Airline and Dubai Culture & Art.