Why you should attend this upcoming mega literary festival in Dubai

The 12^th annual edition of the Emirates Airline Festival of Literature will take place from February 4-9 at the InterContinental in Dubai Festival City with this year’s main theme being ‘Tomorrow’.

A lineup of over 160 writers and thought leaders will be conducting several sessions over the course of the festival covering topics that range from sustainability and geopolitics to spirituality and kindness.

The speakers include global strategic advisor Parag Khanna, the founder and managing partner of FutureMap, a data and scenario-based strategic advisory firm and author of Asian Century, who will be speaking on the topic of ‘The Future is Asian’ on February 7 where he will be discussing how a recently-resurgent Asia will be leading the conversation around economics, culture and society structures in the coming decades.

Pakistani author Fatima Bhutto will be speaking on similar lines where she will be outlining how the cultural movement emanating from the non-Western world is growing ever more important – a case for which she makes in her new book New Kings of the World: Dispatches from Bollywood, Dizi, and K-Pop.

The festival includes panel discussions to deliver practical advice to aspiring authors, entrepreneurs and early-to-mid career professionals who attend the event. One such panel discussion titled ‘Possibilities – A young person’s guide to career success’ on February 8 will include communication educator and award-winning radio presenter Anna Al Qasimi-Roberts, journalist Aby Sam Thomas, entrepreneur Mashal Waqar and will be moderated by workplace culture expert and founder of HardTalk Dawn Metcalfe.

There’s more mentorship advice for attendees by way of literary and talent agent Bev James’ interactive Q&A session on February 8 where she will be sharing key strategies of how to build the seed of an idea into a successful venture.

Motivational speaker Coach Kardan meanwhile will be conducting a workshop on speaking skills for influencers and entrepreneurs on February 5; joint managing director of Curtis Brown Sheila Browley will provide an insight into the many moving parts of the book industry; and feng shui expert Grace E Salem will be delivering a masterclass on bringing balance to the workplace on February 6.

For architects, engineers and builders, award-winning engineer Roma Agarwal who was a part of the team that designed the spire atop London’s tallest building and champions the cause of women in engineering will be conducting a session on build environments.

On the environmental and sustainability front, environmentalist Tony Juniper CBE will be conducting a session titled ‘What has nature ever done for us?’ who will make a case for nature conservation as being imperative for economic development.

Registrations are now open on the festival’s website. Children’s sessions start from Dhs39, standard general adults sessions start from Dhs59. The Weekend Wonderland Pass gives you access to all general sessions (not including workshops, masterclasses or special events) for Dhs499, or you can buy a Freedom Friday or Super Saturday day pass for AED299 each. All sessions, activations, and performances at The Festival Fringe, AlMajlis, and The Penguin Random House Story Corner are free to attend.

You can find all the details about the Emirates Literature Festival, the lineup of speakers and also reserve your seats for the various sessions on www.emirateslitfest.com.