Emirates Airline Festival of Literature returns in Jan 2024

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Book lovers across the UAE can look forward to the 16th edition of the Emirates Airline Festival of Literature, taking place from January 31 to February 6, 2024, at the Intercontinental, Dubai Festival City.

Considered the Arab World’s largest celebration of the written and spoken word, the festival for over 15 years has hosted international and regional writers, poets, thinkers, and speakers from around the world.

More than 2,000 authors from over one hundred countries have spoken at the festival.

The festival is organised with the support of title sponsor Emirates Airline, and founding partner, the Dubai Culture & Arts Authority (Dubai Culture).

Highlights of the 16th edition of Emirates Airline Festival of Literature

This year, the festival is thrilled to welcome an array of internationally recognised authors, including Booker Prize-winning author and President of the Royal Society of Literature Bernardine Evaristo; renowned shoe and accessories designer and author of Oh My Gosh, I Love Your Shoes! Sophia Webster; gender equality and arts advocate Eliza Reid, the First Lady of Iceland; Egyptian graphic novelist and illustrator Deena Mohamed; jewellery artist, sculptor and product designer Azza Al Qubaisi and critic, journalist, and fiction writer Ibrahim Farghali.

Returning to the Emirates LitFest stage will be Booker Prize-winning poet and novelist Ben Okri OBE; children’s writer best known for writing the Mr Gum series Andy Stanton and Emirati poet and member of Untitled Chapters, Amal Al Sahlawi.

A festival for all age groups

The Emirates Airline Festival of Literature will present four ‘experiences’ catering to bibliophiles across all age groups: LitFest After Hours, Discovery Talks, LitFest Families, and Youth Day.

Tickets for the festival, along with the full speaker lineup and programme details, will be available for purchase starting December 14.

Those interested in attending can join Foundation Friends, the Emirates Airline Festival of Literature’s loyalty programme, to enjoy a 20 per cent discount on all ticket categories, priority booking, reserved seating, access to the Foundation Friends Lounge, and invitations to exclusive events.