It is unfortunate that many of us treat reading merely as a necessary chore, like for information related to work or checking an instruction manual. This kind of mechanical reading should be considered the absolute minimum, and we should all aim for much more.
The human mind is uniquely capable of achieving great things, but for that we require the right words. We are all creatures of blind emotion, but we also need to be able to structure and define our thoughts. This requires us all to read and listen to as much literature as possible. That is why the Emirates Airline Festival of Literature is so important as it encourages a huge range of people to come and celebrate the written word in all its diversity, from poetry to cooking, and history to fiction, and across languages and cultures as Emirati and Arab authors share the stage with international English writers.
