Emirates Airline Festival of Literature is so much more than an annual highlight on the cultural calendar. The Festival promotes reading as a life-changing habit and culture as a fundamental right. Over the past 15 years, the Festival has contributed to raising awareness about the role of literature in understanding the world, each other, and in embracing our differences before our similarities. The Festival has the ability to bring together the best of all cultures in order to make a real difference in the world.
The theme of this year’s edition is Old Friends. For me, personally, books are old friends that have made me cry and laugh and have stayed with me long after I’ve turned the last page. But this year, we will also be welcoming some of our favourite authors from previous Festivals back to the Emirates LitFest stage. As well as a plethora of new talents in all fields of creativity and offering a programme packed with special events that will ensure lasting memories for all attendees.
It will be my pleasure to welcome you all in Dubai in February 2023 to celebrate the Festival’s success over the years and to witness a snapshot of the work that Emirates Literature Foundation has been doing since 2013 with the goal of creating a sustainable literary eco-system in the UAE and the region.
Ahlam Bolooki, Emirates Airline Festival of Literature Festival Director