Highlights from the Emirates Airline Festival of Literature
Saturday, 5 February
The Emirates Airline Festival of Literature continued this weekend with a huge celebration of newly announced young authors and literary competition winners, alongside bigger names.
Top Highlights
The launch of the second Young Voices of Arabia anthology, a compilation of adventure stories written by winners of the Voices of Future Generations initiative that sees children engage with Sustainable Development Goals by featuring them as themes in their stories.
Audiences of all ages were delighted to get insight into the inspirations behind all of actor and comedian Ben Miller’s books, including his own dog!
Animator Ken Arto shared his experience as a working animator on popular anime movies and shows like Demon Slayer and Jujutsu Kaisen, and what it takes to succeed in the industry.
Author SK Ali ruminated on the nuances of representing the Muslim community in her groundbreaking YA novels Saints and Misfits and Misfit In Love — and teased the much-awaited sequel for her bestselling novel Love From A to Z.
Illustrator Rob Biddulph — the creative mind behind the YouTube sensation #DrawWithRob — brought the house down as he talked about his book Peanut Jones and the Illustrated City.
First Chapter, the ELF Seddiqi Writing Fellowship, announced the first 10 recipients of its global standard writing program — the first in the region — which will see internationally published authors mentor unpublished writers so as to guide them along their journey towards publication.
The Emirates Literature Foundation announced the 10th winner of the LitFest Writing Prize, many of whom have gone on to get professionally published!
Coming Up Tomorrow
Rob Biddulph returns with yet another fun filled session, this time featuring characters from another one of his books: Dog Gone!
An exciting session between Hana Al Hashimi and Mona Ali Khalil, discussing the future of diplomacy following the advent of COVID-19.
Actress Mira Sethi will talk about her book Are You Enjoying, and her experience trying to capture all of modern-day Pakistan in all its glory.
Marina Wheeler will be making a solo appearance and getting personal as she discusses her book, The Lost Homestead which details the story of her mother’s life and traces the lingering effects of the partition of India.
David Walliams, comedian, actor, and noted children’s book author, will be making an encore appearance celebrating the 10th anniversary of one of his most beloved characters as she returns in a sequel: Gangsta Granny Strikes Again!
