Following the great success of the reading sessions hosted by El-Gouna in February and May, 2010, El-Gouna Writers' Residency Program held its final session for 2010 in El-Gouna Library. Six resident writers from USA, Spain, South Africa, Jamaica, and for the first time a writer from Egypt delivered live presentations on their literary projects.
"Participating in El Gouna Writers' Residency was a lifetime experience for me", said Samar Ali, first female Egyptian participant in El Gouna Writers Residency. "The program provides an intellectual platform for cultural exchange and great motivation for aspiring writers", she added.
Samar Ali, is the author of the best seller poetry book 'Tannoura'. She is currently working on two projects tackling the psychological and social status of women in the Egyptian society. The two projects are a new collection of an English poetry book and her first Arabic short stories collection.
The award-winning Spanish author of The Madness of God, Juanmi Aguilera, and the American play writer Laureen Yee, were also among the six resident writers.
A cocktail reception followed the event at the outdoor reading area of the Library, where the writers exchanged discussions with the attending residents in El Gouna community and the program's advisory board members.
El Gouna Writers' Residency program was first launched in February, and hosted three writers from USA and the UK. The second session took place last May and hosted five writers from the UK, USA, Sri Lanka, and Botswana.
