DUBAI A new cultural landmark celebrating the written and spoken word opened its doors in the picturesque Al Shindagha historical neighbourhood on Monday.
The Dubai International Writers’ Centre (DIWC), the first of its kind in the region, will be an international hub for creative writers who will be given dedicated work spaces to pen their thoughts and conduct courses in fiction, non-fiction, poetry, lyrics, play-writing, film scriptwriting and calligraphy.
The year-round programme will cater to the multicultural and multinational communities in the region, with programmes in Arabic, English and other languages.
Besides attracting local writers, the centre also hopes to draw people of various backgrounds, cultures and interests.
It will also host international conferences focusing on writing and literature.
“The Dubai International Writers Centre is a wonderful addition to the cultural landscape of Dubai and the Middle East,” said Abdulla Al Shaer, Director of the DIWC. “There is a great well of creativity in the region and the purpose of the DIWC is to nurture this creativity whilst also providing a platform to explore the rich literary tapestries and oral traditions that have shaped the cultural experience of different nations and encourage the literature movement in all of the UAE. Writers will find the Centre to be a tranquil and inspirational retreat in which to hone their skills.”
Following the Centre’s inaugural event will be a full programme including workshops in calligraphy, creative writing, Shakespearean poetry and public speaking. Tim Mackintosh-Smith will be the writer-in-residence in January 2015.
