Emirates Airline International Festival of Literature
Festival of literature tickets go on sale
Tickets for the Emirates Airline International Festival of Literature (EAIFL) go on sale today, bringing the first event of its kind in the Middle East ever closer.
The festival, which runs from February 26th to March 1st at Dubai Festival City, has attracted some of the world’s top authors from across the globe. These authors will be joined by a select group of authors from and resident in the UAE.
Special EAIFL ‘boarding passes’ have been created for entry to the activities, taking book lovers on a journey of discovery and bringing them face to face with their literary idols.
“When we began approaching authors to attend the Middle East’s first literary festival we could never have dreamed of securing such an incredible collection of global literary talent,” said Isobel Abulhoul, Director of EAIFL.
“We have a truly world-class international literary event covering a wide array of genres and interests coming to Dubai Festival City on the banks of the Creek in five weeks. The excitement and anticipation among book lovers from Dubai, the UAE and further afield, is growing enormously as the Festival nears.”
The main programme for EAIFL comprises over 50 events – debates, discussions and readings – and will take place in five venues at the InterContinental Hotel, Festival City.
The programme is designed to be as inclusive as possible and all sessions will be ticketed with prices starting at a modest 35 dirhams (£7 sterling). A limited number of events will be priced at 60 dirhams (£12) and 100 dirhams (£20) respectively.
Tickets go on sale from today at all Magrudy’s stores in the UAE and online via www.eaifl.com.
Maurice Flanagan, Executive Vice Chairman, Emirates Airline and Group, said: “EAIFL is now just round the corner and we would encourage anyone with an interest in the written word to join this international celebration of literature.”
Referring to the EAIFL “boarding passes”, Mr Flanagan added: “This is such a great event for Dubai and possibly the only occasion when you will be presented with a boarding pass, go on an extraordinary journey of discovery, and never leave the ground.”
The final day of the Festival will be Education Day where visiting authors will travel to city schools and colleges to promote reading and writing, by engaging with students through lectures, seminars, workshops and readings.
The line-up of English language authors coming to Dubai includes Chimamanda Adichie, Kate Adie, Margaret Atwood, Rachel Billington, Terry Brooks, Louis de Bernieres, Jung Chang, Lauren Child, Ranulph Fiennes, Anne Fine, Victoria Hislop, Anthony Horowitz, Frank McCourt, Alexander Maitland, Kate Mosse, Claudia Roden, Robin Sharma, Karin Slaughter, Wilbur Smith, Nassim Nicholas Taleb and Mark Tully.
Arab writers and poets scheduled to take part in the festival include Turki Al Dakheel, Khaled Al Khamissi, Ibrahim Al Koni, Gamal Al Ghitani, Raja Alsanea, Haifa Bitar, Sahar El Mougy, Hani Nakshabandi, Ibrahim Nasrallah, Mekkawi Said, and Nahed Al Shawa.
In addition to the main programme, EAIFL will host a lively Fringe programme around the boardwalks and waterfront at Dubai Festival City laid on by schools, colleges, dramatic societies and other local groups. There will also be a variety of writing workshops. The Fringe will run in parallel with the main programme from Thursday 26th to Saturday 28th February.
