Emirates Airline Festival of Literature: A Global Cultural Hub

Mansoor Lootah, Operations Support Sector CEO/Acting Director General at Dubai Culture and Arts Authority (Dubai Culture) has visited the Emirates Airline Festival of Literature. The festival is taking place at InterContinental Dubai Festival City and will continue until 6 February. It features a diverse range of activities, evenings, panel discussions, and interactive workshops with the participation of elite and global authors. This visit is part of Dubai Culture’s support for the 16th edition, which aims to empower the expression of rich visions and ideas and encourage participation in various literary and intellectual events worldwide.

Accompanied by Dr Saeed Mubarak bin Karbash, CEO of Arts and Literature at Dubai Culture, Lootah toured the festival’s various activities, praising the high-quality cultural events and the ‘Bil Emirati’ strand supported by the Authority. This programme seeks to provide an innovative platform for exchanging ideas introducing the literary productions of Emirati intellectuals, and fostering communication between Emirati scribes and their counterparts internationally.

During the visit, Lootah attended the session titled ‘The World as an Open Book’, where Lieutenant General Mohammed Ahmed Al Marri, Director General of the General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs in Dubai (GDRFA Dubai), discussed innovative travel platforms that stimulate visitors to explore Dubai. Lootah also participated in the session ‘The Employer & Employee Relationship’, where HE Dherar Belhoul Al Falasi, Executive Director of Watani Al Emarat Foundation, discussed the complex relationship between subordinate and manager.

As part of ‘Bil Emarati’, which includes around 52 Emirati authors and writers who take part in over 30 talks and panels, festival visitors can engage in a wide range of workshops. Notable sessions include the ‘Bridging the Divide in Arabic Publishing’ session featuring Nahed Al Shawa, Khaled Alnassiry, Asma Ali Zarooni, and Ahmad Abdulatif. Additionally, Dr. Abdulaziz Al Musallam, novelist Saud Alsanousi, and writer Najwa Barkat participate in ‘The Good Old Days’. ‘Widening the Gulf’ includes author Dubai Abulhoul, founder of Fiker Institute, Khalifa Al Suwaidi, author of the book ‘UAE after the Arab Spring’, Dr. Amar Shams, and others.