In Focus | Festival of Literature
Nine budding writers see their short stories in print
Montegrappa students writing competition winners announced at Emirates Airline Festival of Literature
- Staff Report
- Published: 13:27 March 12, 2011
Dubai: Young budding writers are set to see their stories in print for the first time, after winning the Montegrappa Students Writing Competition.
The nine winning writers - Asma Begum, Hibah Habib, Rebecca Cook, Yasmin Khan, Neeraja Raj, Jude Muatasem, Hasan Mohammad Ahmad Abdul Aziz, Husam Ashraf Dusuqi, and Mohammad Yousuf - received the thanks and congratulations of the panel of judges, in front of an audience of well-wishers, representatives of the Literature Festival and the media.
Their stories and those of the competition runners-up have been published by Jerboa Books in a dual language book of short stories entitled The Mystery.
Children's authors Hooda Shawa and Philip Ardagh presented each winner with a copy of The Mystery along with an exclusive Montegrappa fountain pen.
Tucked in each pen case was a special card, signed by the Award-winning author and Montegrappa brand ambassador, Paulo Coelho. The 12 runners-up each received a luxury Montegrappa fountain pen. To the delight of all the students, a surprise video message, recorded by Paulo Coelho, was played to the audience. In the message, he passed on his congratulations to the winners.
The judges made special mention of Alexandar Vukasovich whose short stories have been published in all three years of the competition.
They also noted the number of winning entrants who do not have English as their mother tongue citing this as a true reflection of the multi-culturalism of the Emirates.
Jane Hodges, Publications Coordinator, Jerboa Books, commented: "With over three thousand entries to process this year, there was certainly a mountain of Mysteries to read! Warmest congratulations to all of our winners and finalists and thanks to children's authors Hooda Shawa and Philip Ardagh who met our budding writers at the Presentation Ceremony."
Emirates Airline Festival of Literature is held under the patronage of His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, in partnership with Emirates Airline and Dubai Culture and Arts Authority (Dubai Culture).
