Dubai: Literature might not interest everyone in this fast-pace modern world of gadgets and gizmos, but there is still a strong tribe of people who love to read as witnessed by the opening day of 9th Emirates Literature Festival in Dubai on Friday.
The nine-day festival began at Dubai Festival City with the literati and bibliophiles making a beeline to a range of live sessions, including panel discussions, workshops and masterclasses.
What was heartening to see was the large number of children and teenagers attending the event, outnumbering the adult book lovers.
In this age of social media and virtual entertainment, where children are hooked on to their tabs and smart phones, the sight of young people waiting in long queues to purchase books and get them signed by their favourite authors is really encouraging.
Contrary to the general perception, the sight is a strong indication that the love for the written word is not dying yet. In fact, it actually is retaining its charm despite a tough competition it is facing from all sides.
Not surprisingly, the upswing could be a result of the Year of Reading campaign that was launched last year by His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai.
Coinciding with the UAE’s 2017 Month of Reading, the festival this year brings an exciting line-up of authors from 33 countries.
Featuring more than 180 authors, including 70 writers from the UAE and the Arab world and 120 authors attending for the first time, the festival features prolific storyteller Jeffrey Archer, celebrated Emirati writer Dr Hamad Al Hammady, queen of crime fiction Kathy Reichs, veteran Emirati author Abdul Aziz Al Musallam and multi-award-winning journalist Christina Lamb.
One of the biggest platforms in the UAE, built to nurture the love of the letter among the youth, the festival has lined up 250 sessions, panels, workshops and masterclasses including 50 children’s sessions.
One of the highlights of the opening day was the launch of a coffee-table book on 25 years of Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships.
‘Game, Set and Dubai: A quarter century of the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships’ takes readers on a journey of one of the world’s biggest tennis tournaments.
Following the book launch, Salah Tahlak, tournament director and Colm McLoughlin, executive vice-chairman and CEO of Dubai Duty Free, shed light on the journey of success.
Other highlights of the festival includes #CookforSYRIA, with the festival hosting a fund-raising dinner where all proceeds from the event go to Emirates Red Crescent and proceeds from the #CookForSYRIA book sales go directly to Unicef’s Children of Syria Fund.
Featuring later this week in the festival are Desert Stanzas poetry event and Murder Mystery Dinner, while aspiring writers can book their place on one of the three Residential Creative Writing Courses, conducted by award-winning international authors from March 5 to 7.
