Dubai: The line up of authors, speakers and events for the upcoming Emirates Airline Festival of Literature (LitFest) was unveiled on Tuesday at Dubai Festival City, the venue for the event, which will be held from January 29 to February 3, 2025.
About 140 writers and thought leaders are expected to take part in the event. The number of local participants has been on the rise as well, with this edition expected to feature more than 60 authors, poets, and performers from the UAE.
Tickets and venue details are available on the official website, with an early bird discount offered from November 14 to December 13.
Dania Droubi, Chief Operating Officer of the Emirates Literature Foundation, noted that the LitFest is an opportunity to showcase UAE-based talent to the world and bring diverse cultures together.
“The festival is not only about the international authors but also about giving exposure to the locally based authors in the UAE, who have called this country their own,” Droubi told Gulf News.
Among the local luminaries is Graeme Wilson, who has called the UAE home since 1990 and will be speaking about ‘To Be the First,’ an authorised biography of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai.
Emirati poet Ali Al Shaali, Nobel Laureate Abdulrazak Gurnah, award-winning journalist and author Hala Gorani, Arab News editor-in-chief Faisal J Abbas, who will discuss his book 'Anecdotes of an Arab Anglophile', will also take part.
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Best-selling authors Abraham Verghese, Megan Hess, Clare Mackintosh, and Mateo Askaripour are among the leading names set to grace the event. In a special tribute, Palestinian chef Fadi Kattan will discuss his book and share insights into Palestinian cuisine and culture.
Droubi pointed out that the writing community in the UAE has been growing year after year, supported by such initiatives for book lovers.
“More talents are being discovered every year, with young ones as little as seven years old. These children, born and brought up in the UAE, will have a stage to talk about their experiences.”
Discussions, desert camp
The main programme will feature engaging talks and panel discussions on topics ranging from technology, climate change, sustainability, to fashion, pop culture, psychology and history. The festival will include a variety of activities and themes, with children’s storytellers and illustrators such as Daniel Handler (who publishes under the pen name Lemony Snicket) and Jeff Kinney.
An ‘After Hours’ session will promise passionate discussions and dazzling entertainment with music and poetry, while ‘Discovery Talks’ will offer a series of eclectic and free-to-attend lectures.
‘Desert Stanzas,’ a signature event, will provide a special night of poetry under the starlit sky of a desert camp with Emirati food. There will also be programmes, including sessions in Arabic and English, for students and families.
“I wish everyone would come and join us and see what the festival is about. There is something for everyone. They don’t have to be readers or into books, but we will make them fall in love with books,” Droubi said.
