The Emirates Airline Festive of Literature hosted its 14th year at a new location in Al Habtoor City on February 4th, with a specifically curated 'Emirati Day' that brought in Emirati authors and figures in the limelight.
4th February
Omar Saif Ghobash In a powerful spotlight, Omar Saif Ghobash reflected on fatherhood, his own family, and how they both influenced his first book 'Letters to a Young Muslim' as well as the novel he is working on right now.
Mohammed Saeed Harib, the creative mind behind the popular Emirati animation sensation Freej talked about his upcoming projects — including an upcoming feature film on the renowned poet Khalil Ghibran — and discussed the possibility of a Freej feature film! Talk about things getting exciting!
An inspiring session called 'Careers of the Future' discussed what skills the next generation of leaders will need to focus on, featuring HE Saeed Al Nazari, Dr. Abdulla Bin Ahmad AlShaikh, Dr. Tiffany Delport and Isobel Abulhoul.
Khalaf Al Habtoor, the Chairman of the Al Habtoor Group, looked back on his career and shared the many political and economical changes he witnessed during the UAE's growth as a country.
A fascinating session titled 'Future of the Creative Economy' featuring Waheeda AlHadhrami, Giuseppe Moscatello, and Noora Al Awadhi looked at what role literature and the arts will play in the UAE's future, and what strategies are being developed to develop these aspects of our culture further.
5th February
Festival favourite and noted children's author and comedian David Walliams returned to Dubai to celebrate the 10th anniversary of one of his most iconic characters as he returned in a sequel: Gangsta Granny Strikes Again!
Author Alka Joshi took fans behind the scenes of her first bestselling novel, The Henna Artist, which is being adapted into a Netflix series, starring Frieda Pinto (Slumdog Millionaire).
Author Toshikazu Kawaguchi shared the inspirations behind his international bestseller Before the Coffee Gets Cold.
Ken Arto (Demon Slayer: The Movie) and Fadel AlMheiri (Catsaway) discussed the anime they love and why it's such a phenomenon with anime fans all over the world.
Popular Instagram poet Nikita Gill made her first-ever appearance in Dubai as she performed a show featuring her own poetry, titled 'Maidens, Myths, and Monsters.'
News Source: Dubai PR Network
