Every year the Emirates Airline Festival of Literature brings the world of books into the spotlight in the UAE.
Over the past 15 years, the Festival has contributed to raising awareness about the role of literature in understanding the world and in embracing our differences before our similarities. The Festival has the ability to bring together the best of all cultures.
The theme of this year’s edition is Old Friends. Ahlam Bolooki, Emirates Airline Festival of Literature Festival Director says: “For me, personally, books are old friends that have made me cry and laugh and have stayed with me long after I’ve turned the last page. But this year, we will also be welcoming some of our favourite authors from previous Festivals back to the Emirates LitFest stage. As well as a plethora of new talents in all fields of creativity and offering a programme packed with special events that will ensure lasting memories for all attendees”.
Our Institute partecipates to the Festival presenting the following events
Emirates – Nothing is Impossible: Giovanni Bozzetti & Ali Al Saloom
Date/Time: Friday 3 February 2023 11:00-12:00
Venue: Al Riwaq III, InterContinental, Dubai Festival City
Join Giovanni Bozzeti & Ali Al Saloom as they provide practical advice on how to be mindful of cultural practices when dealing with different people in both a professional and personal context.
Giovanni Bozzetti is an Italian businessman, entrepreneur, academic, author and expert on internationalisation processes. He is Founder, President, and CEO of EFG Consulting which supports companies in their internationalisation process towards the UAE and is the official representative in Italy for the Dubai Chamber of Commerce and Industry. He is the author of ‘United Arab Emirates: Nothing is Impossible’, originally published in Italian and later translated to English.
Ali Al Saloom is an Emirati cultural and tourism programme presenter, whose in-depth awareness of the cultural and religious aspects has contributed to enhancing his holistic view of the religion and culture of the Gulf region, which we see in every project or idea he adopts. His latest project is the launch of the Ask Ali series, ‘Ask Ali: Your Guide to Abu Dhabi’ and ‘Ask Ali: Your Guide to Dubai’, which are travel guides that offer readers insights into the UAE.
This session is moderated by Naouel Chaoui, writer and cultural advisor for the Festival and Dubai Culture.
Book your tickets here
Sidra Honey: Carla Barbara Coppi & Dr Reem Al Gurg
Date/Time: Sunday 5 February 2023 17:15-18:00
Venue: Al Amwaj I, InterContinental, Dubai Festival City
Language: Multilanguage
Age: 5-7
How well do you know the Sidra tree? Have you tasted its delightfully sweet honey?
In this session, writer Reem Al Gurg will read her story ‘Sidra Honey’ and you’ll discover all about the fruits of this tree. Touch its leaves, taste its honey, and learn about its many benefits!
The session includes an Italian reading of the story.
Reem Al Gurg is an Emirati Children’s writer and academic researcher. She holds a PhD in Health Policy and Management from the University of Bradford. She co-wrote the story ‘Naemat Al Naama’ for Iftah Ya Simsim, the Arabic adaptation of the TV show Sesame Street.
Carla Barbara Coppi is an Italian writer who currently lives in Dubai. In 2021 a collection of her poems titled ‘Granelli di Sabbia – Grains of Sand’ was published by Armando Editore. In 2017 she ranked first in the Italian Authors’ Competition with the poem Migrante (Migrant). She has published several children and teenager publications with Edizioni Aracne in Rome and directs Ecogeses’ series for children.
Book your tickets here
LitFest Launchpad: Amandeep Ahuja, Carla Barbara Coppi, Darrel Perkins, Mansi Choksi & Mariana Missakian
Date/Time: Friday 3 February 2023 20:00-21:00
Venue: Al Riwaq I, InterContinental, Dubai Festival City
Language: English
The LitFest Launchpad provides UAE-based authors a chance to introduce their latest works to audiences. The authors in this session write in a variety of genres but all have in common their mission to bring to vivid life characters from different times and places whose stories can teach us something important.
Each speaker will answer questions about their own book. Join us to discover and support the UAE’s fantastic writing community!
Amandeep Ahuja is a political economist by education, fitness professional by qualification and writer by passion. She is author of The Frustrated Women’s Club, an account of the confused state of mind of the millennial generation and an insight into the social constructs that third culture kids grow up with.
Carla Barbara Coppi is an eclectic Italian author, lecturer, musician, and award-winning writer. She achieved first position in the 2017 Autori Italiani 2017 competition. Her last book, Grains of Sand was awarded by the Prize Poseidonia Paestum.
Darrel Perkins is an artist, educator, and writer from Rhode Island. His artwork has been exhibited in galleries around the world, and locally he organizes art workshops and lectures for a range of ages and experience levels. His commercial illustrations have been licensed for books, clothing, posters, editorial work, and mural painting. He is a published author and illustrator, most recently the 2022 book The End is at Hand.
Mansi Choksi is a graduate of the Columbia School of Journalism and two-time Livingston Award Finalist. She is the author of The Newlyweds, which was regarded by The Times as “a staggeringly good work of literary journalism” and by the Financial Times as “compelling and sometimes heart breaking.”
Mariana Missakian is the author of That Suburbia Lady, a satire memoir on women and identity. The book is a compilation of 40 short stories on who we become when we no longer fit in. After a successful corporate career of twenty years, she transformed her life with a loving family and a vocation for writing.
This session is moderated by Gamze Hakli Geray
Free entry – book your complementary ticket here