Dubai: The final countdown to the 2017 Emirates Airline Festival of Literature has begun and Isobel Abulhoul, CEO and trustee of the Emirates Literature Foundation and director of the Emirates Airline Festival of Literature, believes it will be the “best festival yet”. Here’s a round-up of all that you can do in the nine-day extravaganza starting March 3:
Meet the authors
More than 180 authors from 33 countries, including 70 from the Arab world, will be at the festival. They include Ernest Hemingway’s grandson John Hemingway, Jordanian social intelligence coach Rana Nejem, 2016 Montegrappa Writing Prize runner-up Jessica Jarlvi, publisher of the bestselling sequel to The Devil Wears Prada Thalia Suzuma and the first female Emirati spoken word artist and slam poet Afra Atiq.
Watch police car display
Dubai Police will hold a special display of four supercars from their fleet at the waterfront outside the festival venue - InterContinental Hotel - on March 4. The exhibit will be accompanied by a performance of marching horses and the official police band at 1pm.
Enrol into a writing course
For the first time, the festival will hold four creative writing courses in Arabic and English. The three-day courses will be conducted by authors Sue Moorcroft, Patrick Gale, Tamsyn Murray and Fatima Sharafeddine.
Listen to panel discussions
Sessions like A Time for Tolerance with Minister of State for Tolerance Sheikha Lubna Bint Khalid Al Qasimi and Winning at Life: The Secrets of Not Having It All with Mad Girl author Bryony Gordon and Lifeshifting Journeys by authors Mostafa Salameh, Robert Twigger and Sarah Outen promise to give participants rare insights into issues that concern our everyday lives.
Check out feature events
The highlights here include Pimp My Rice: Lunch with Nisha Katona; Murder Mystery Dinner: The Fatal Festival (March 3); The Great British Afternoon Tea: With Nadiya Hussain; Cook for Syria (March 4); Mystic Life by Leila Aboulela: A play reading (March 5); Spices on the Silk Roads: A Supper Club discussion (March 8); and Desert Stanzas 2017 - Poetry under the stars (March 9).
Attend Education Programme
The five-day Education Programme from March 5 includes free Education Day events for students, competitions and author visits to schools. Children can also enjoy free activities at the Time Out Story Corner and the first Disney Story Corner, as well as performances at the Festival Fringe Stage.
Appreciate art
The festival art exhibition, supported by Deira International School, will run till March 12. The art has been created by students from across the UAE. A record 25,000 students are expected to benefit from the event by interacting with favourite authors, taking part in Fringe events and competitions.
Go to a publishing conference
The Emirates Literature Foundation will hold the first Dubai International Publishing Conference in partnership with the General Secretariat of the Executive Council of Dubai on March 5 and 6.
Greet star librarians
For the first time, the Emirates Literature Foundation with the Executive Council, has instituted the School Librarian of the Year Award, celebrating the work of the UAE’s best school librarians in Arabic and international schools. Winners will be announced on March 6.
Details:
WHAT: 2017 Emirates Airline Festival of Literature
WHEN: March 3 to 11
WHERE: Intercontinental Hotel, Dubai Festival City
TICKETS: Start at Dh40 although many events are free. Can be purchased at tickets.emirateslitfest.com or via the ELF Dubai app or at Magrudy’s outlets.
