Photos: Day 1 of Emirates Airline Festival of Literature 2022

The Emirates Airline Festival of Literature, one of the world’s leading literary events, opened with a dynamic first weekend that is set to entertain, energise and enthuse audiences with a host of unique sessions featuring some of the biggest literary figures in the UAE and from across the globe. Above, visitors on the first day of Emirates Airline Festival of Literature 2022 at Hilton in Al Habtoor City, Dubai.

Running from 3 – 13 February at the event’s brand-new canal-side home for 2022, the Habtoor City Hotels, this year’s Festival is being held under the theme, ‘Here Comes the Sun’.

Lt General Mohammed Ahmed Al Marri, the Director-General of the General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs (GDRFA), touring on the opening day of the festival.

The first day, Thursday 3 February, is dedicated to Emirati talent, with sessions covering everything from literary fiction and poetry to probing discussions about the cultural economy, women blazing their own trails, and the careers of the future

Freej-creator, Mohammed Saeed Hareb shares his story during the session on the first day of Emirates Airline Festival of Literature 2022

The first day witnessed local talents participating in a series of talks, panel discussions, workshops and poetry recitals.

The Festival also features art and craft workshops aplenty in Arabic and English for children of all ages in addition to a host of entertaining sessions throughout the weekend.

The Festival will comply with all current COVID-19 regulations, and visitors will be asked to wear masks and provide proof of vaccination, or a negative PCR taken within the previous 72 hours.

Isobel Abulhoul, Founder, CEO and Trustee of Emirates Literature Foundation, during a session on the first day of Emirates Airline Festival of Literature 2022.

The Festival is held with Founding Partners Emirates Airline and the Dubai Culture & Arts Authority (Dubai Culture), the Emirate’s dedicated authority for heritage, arts, and culture.