Emirates Literature Festival announces MBRC award for aspiring science-fiction writers

What’s science fiction today is science tomorrow—a belief held by Isobel Abulhoul, CEO and trustee of the Emirates Literature Foundation.

In this spirit, science fiction took centrestage on the second day of the Emirates Literature Festival 2025, drawing in young writers and enthusiasts. Abulhoul, alongside Salem Humaid Al Marri, Director General of the Mohammed bin Rashid Space Centre (MBRSC), and Dr. Sultan Al Neyadi, Minister of Youth and the UAE’s first astronaut in space, announced the launch of the MBRSC Short Story Award, which called for the submission of science-fiction short stories. They were joined by Ahlam Bolooki, CEO of the Emirates Literature Foundation and Director of the Emirates Airline Festival of Literature.

Explaining how the idea came about, Abulhoul shared at a press conference that students and generally, the youth had been captivated by Al Neyadi’s experiences aboard the International Space Station. “They loved hearing about space, learning about gravity over the course of six months. As a result, we formed a strong friendship with the MBRSC team, and together, we envisioned this competition for young writers, which fits in perfectly with His Excellency Al Neyadi’s passion for inspiring youth. Science fiction is the beginning of new scientific adventures.”

Al Marri added, “We are launching the MBRC Award, a competition where writers of all ages can create science fiction stories.” Reflecting on his own journey, he shared, “Star Trek and Star Wars is what inspired me and pushed me to go towards looking at space. When there was an opportunity to work at a space center and build satellites and send something that I’ve touched, to space, I jumped on that idea, probably, because the way I look at it at least, is that I loved reading science fiction in my youth.” He adds that they’re looking for science-fiction in the language of Arabic as well. The winners would be announced in the 2026 edition of the Emirates Literature Festival.

Speaking to Gulf News later, Abulhoul elaborated further on how she got the idea, “We just thought that we are living in a time that is changing so fast, as what is science fiction today, is science tomorrow. We wanted to make a connection between science and importance of science, and how we can cross stories that might seem totally fantastic when you read them, but actually become reality.”