Emirates Airline Literature festival opens today

Dubai: The second Emirates Airline Festival of Literature opens today with more than 100 authors and 100 sessions to its name.

The festival, designed to encourage literacy and celebrate literature, hosts big names writing in both English and Arabic, such as Martin Amis, Vikas Swarup (Slumdog Millionaire), Fadhil Al Azzawi, Marjane Satrapi, Shobhaa De, Adhaf Soueif, Abdo Khal and Alexander McCall Smith.

"Anyone who comes will find it impossible to leave," Isobel Abulhoul, Festival Director told Gulf News, "they will find so many different events, something to suit every taste. We have tried to remain true to our vision of being accessible to all, to spread the word and celebrate the written word."

Abulhoul continued that she is particularly looking forward to two sessions.

For the first time, emerging Emirati authors will gain a platform at the festival, in the opening session titled ‘Read the Future: Emerging Arab World Children's Writers'.

The international panel will discuss the importance of books for children and what it is like to have a book published for the first time.

Another highlight of the festival is ‘Looking Back with Love: Dubai Poets from the 1800s', featuring poetry readings collected by Emirati poet Khalid Al Budoor, translated into English, as well as works by Iraq poet Fadhil Al Azzawi. Photos to accompany the readings have been added by Paul Thuysbaert. Joanna Marsh has composed music to be played on two harps.

However, the literature festival isn't just about books. During the Fringe festival on Friday and Saturday, students from schools across the region will perform poetry, song and drama.

The Fringe is kick-started with a grand parade along the Dubai Festival City waterfront at 10am, where local school children will dress as book characters, accompanied by the Dubai Police Band, camels, horses, falcons, different dancing troupes from the Emirates and Asia, flag bearers and Freej characters.

"We have been hard at work since the curtains went down on last year's festival," Abulhoul said of the organisation for the festival, "I think a literary festival can make a difference in several ways. It can encourage all of us to read more, which has to be a good thing. It certainly must help with improving literacy rates, and schools and colleges really appreciate authors engaging with their students," she said.

As well as encouraging literacy, the festival also aims to pull cultures and nationalities together, so they can join in the celebrations together.

Abulhoul concluded: "Our audiences loved the opportunity to meet some of their favourite authors and also discover new voices, listen to authors and debates in translation, and sit in audiences of like-minded people."

Festival basics

• WHAT: The 2010 Emirates Airline Festival of Literature, being held under the patronage of the Dubai Culture and Arts Authority.
• WHEN: March 10-13, 2010.
• WHERE: InterContinental Hotel, Dubai Festival City.
• HOW: Tickets available via www.eaifl.com. Some children's activities are free.
• EXTRAS: Events for a special Education Day will be held on March 11 at the Dubai Cultural and Scientific Association, Al Mamzar. The festival will also include a free children's zone with interactive reading sessions.