Dates for next year’s Emirates Airline Festival of Literature have been announced. The beloved annual celebration of books will take place between February 3 and 12, this time at a new location by the Dubai Canal.
The event will be held at Al Habtoor City, with special activations and sessions to coincide with Expo 2020 Dubai.
The theme will be Here Comes the Sun, which is “infused with optimism and positivity, and symbolic of our transition from the dark into the light”, said the event organisers.
Festival director Ahlam Bolooki said: “Our continued success as a festival is in part down to how we keep evolving, bringing in new elements, special events and features that resonate with our community.
“Our theme for the coming festival … is perfect for our post-pandemic world. This is the dawn of a new, forward-looking era. The 2022 festival will bring optimism, renewal and it will shed light on issues that are usually obscured by the dark, including some of the most important topics of our time.”
Take a look through the gallery below to see photos of the 2021 event:
-
Paintings of some of the region's greatest authors were located in the outdoor area of the 2021 Emirates Airline Festival of Literature. Leslie Pableo / The National -
Magrudy's had its usual book store at the event. Leslie Pableo / The National -
Organisers took a hybrid approach to the event, adding both in-person and virtual sessions to the schedule. Leslie Pableo / The National -
There were fewer visitors than in past years because of the coronavirus pandemic. Leslie Pableo / The National -
Strict safety measures were put in place to keep visitors, authors and organisers safe. Leslie Pableo / The National -
Book signings were cancelled. Leslie Pableo / The National -
All visitors and staff had to wear face masks as per the Dubai law. Leslie Pableo / The National -
There were stalls inside and pavilions outside the InterContinental Dubai Festival City hotel. Leslie Pableo / The National -
People could head to the event or tune in from home to watch the virtual sessions. Leslie Pableo / The National -
Sheikh Mohamed bin Rashid launched a new children's book at the event, while his other books were also on sale. Leslie Pableo / The National
This year, the event started in January and took place across three weekends at three different venues. A large portion of the festival was held outdoors, while talks and sessions were also held virtually, owing to Covid-19 restrictions in place at the time.
High-profile figures such as Malala Yousafzai and Elif Shafak gave talks via screens and answered questions from the audience.
“One important outcome of the festival is that it showed us what’s possible,” Bolooki told The National. "So many times, we’ve lost the opportunity to host big-name authors because of their clashing schedules. Now, through technology, they could be up close and personal even if they can’t fly in.”
The 2022 author line-up will be revealed on Wednesday, November 17.
More information is available at emirateslitfest.com
