Dubai: A digital ticket giving access to a minimum of ten live-streamed sessions at the ongoing Emirates Airline Festival of Literature is now on sale.
For the first time, the festival will be live-streaming a selection of sessions in Arabic and English from the “big Festival weekend” at the InterContinental Dubai Festival City (Thursday to Friday) to ensure anyone who cannot get a physical ticket or is unable to attend the event at one of its venues doesn’t miss out. The digital pass costs Dh100.
In addition to the Dh100 for a digital pass to watch live-streamed sessions from home, ticket prices to attend the live events start at Dh60 for adult sessions and Dh40 for children’s sessions. The Festival will be “fully compliant ”with all COVID-19 prevention regulations and guidelines from the Dubai Health Authorities, including social distancing measures across all three venues and mandatory masks.
Fewer tickets
Festival director Ahlam Bolooki said: “We have a fantastic programme of live events, but with social distancing measures in place there will be fewer tickets available. We want to make sure that everyone has a chance to get a sprinkling of the wonder of the LitFest, so the digital passes allow those who cannot attend to wander in and out of a range of sessions virtually.”
Sessions that will be available virtually include those led by Amin Maalouf, Elif Shafak, Walaa Kamal, as well as panels such as ‘Fighting the Anti-Facts Movement’ and ‘Social Stereotypes’. The full details are available on the event’s website.
The 2021 Emirates Airline Festival of Literature also features live sessions featuring home-grown writers, poets and experts combined with virtual appearances from international authors. The festival this year stretches across three weekends and three venues: Jameel Arts Centre (January 29 to 30), InterContinental Dubai Festival City (February 4 to 6) and Alserkal Avenue (February 12 to 13).
Nobel prize winner Malala Yousafzai, Booker nominees Avni Doshi (Burnt Sugar) and Oyinkan Braithwaite (My Sister the Serial Killer) will be among the authors zooming in from afar.
