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Top Author Sessions at Emirates Literature Festival 2023

  • Publish date: Thursday، 02 February 2023 Last update: Wednesday، 24 January 2024
Top Author Sessions at Emirates Literature Festival 2023

The 2023 Emirates Literature Festival kicked off in Dubai on Wednesday, marking its 15th edition. The event will be held in two locations: the Intercontinental Hotel in Festival City and the Mohammed Bin Rashid Library in Jaddaf between February 1st and February 6th.

This year's festival features over 300 sessions that include live music performances, film screenings, workshops, and panel discussions with accomplished and up-and-coming authors.

According to the chairman of the festival H.H. Sheikh Ahmed Bin Saeed Al Maktoum, the Emirates Literature Festival is about “writers [who] bring new ideas and different perspectives … [and build] bridges across cultures.” Furthermore, the festival director Ahlam Bolooki emphasized that the festival promotes reading across all ages as a “life-changing habit.”

Festival themes: 'Old Friends' and 'Bil Emirati'

This edition’s theme is ‘Old Friends’. In an interview with Khaleej Times, Bolooki said that the theme is “perfect for our anniversary edition.” This theme actually alludes to welcomed returnees of the festival including Kate Mosse, Jeffery Archer, and Oliver Jeffers.

The festival has another theme 'Bil Emirati' which highlights recent developments in the local fields such as publishing, culture, and literature. 

Here are some of the most notable and anticipated international and local authors that you can get to see at the 2023 Emirates Literature Festival:

International Authors 

Brian Cox: Shakespeare, Success, and Succession

Brian Cox is a Scottish screen and theatre actor who will be talking about his memoir Putting the Rabbit in the Hat in this session. The memoir details his journey from a working-class Scottish home to becoming one of the most well-reputed Shakespearian actors of his generation.  

Cox has worked with the Royal Shakespeare Company and the Royal National Theatre. His film and television works include the 1986 film Manhunter and HBO’s Succession. Not only has he received two Olivier Awards, but he has also won a Primetime Emmy Award, and a Golden Globe Award.

Session Date/Time: Thursday, February 2, 8-9 p.m.

Location: Al Riwaq II, the Intercontinental Hotel, Dubai Festival City

Kate Mosse: Warrior Queens, Rebels and Courtesans-How Women Shaped the World

In this session, British novelist Kate Mosse will be discussing researching history’s forgotten women with historian Manu S Pillai. Mosse is the founder of the #WomeninHistory campaign that commemorates women’s achievements.

Mosse is well-known for her novel Labyrinth (2005) and she was appointed as the Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the 2013 birthday honours for her contributions to literature.

Session Date/Time: Thursday, February 2, 6.30 to 7.30 p.m.

Location: Al Baraha II, the InterContinental Hotel, Dubai Festival City

Mohsin Hamid: The Last White Man

Mohsin Hamid is a British Pakistani novelist who is going to discuss his latest book The Last White Man in this session. The novel focalizes how concepts of race, love, humanity, and power are shaped by changing times.

Hamid’s other bestselling works include Moth Smoke (2000), The Reluctant Fundamentalist (2007), How to Get Filthy Rich in Rising Asia (2013), and Exit West (2017).

Session Date/Time: Friday, February 3, 6.30 to 7.30 p.m.

Location: Al Riwaq II, the Intercontinental Hotel, Dubai Festival City

Bonnie Garmus: Lessons in Chemistry

In this session, American author Bonnie Garmus will discuss her debut novel Lessons in Chemistry. Her novel focalizes women in the 1960s dealing with gender stereotypes and sexism in male-dominated areas. Lessons in Chemistry won the 2022 Barnes & Noble Book of the Year and Best Debut Novel in the Goodreads Choice Awards 2022. The book has been sold in 35 countries and it is going to be adapted into a series by Apple TV. 

Session Date/Time: Saturday, 4 February, 2:30 to 3:30 p.m.

Location: Al Baraha II, the Intercontinental Hotel, Dubai Festival City

Local Authors 

The theme of 'Bil Emirati' features well-renowned authors from the UAE: 

HH Sheikha Latifa bint Hamdan bin Rashid al Maktoum: Through My Eyes

HH Sheikha Latifa bint Hamdan is the daughter of the late HH Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the former Deputy Ruler of Dubai and UAE’s Minister of Finance. In this session, she talks about her book Through My Eyes and how it highlights the professional and personal values of her father, which made him a formidable person in public, but a loving father to his daughter.

Session Date/Time: Thursday, 2 February, 5 to 6 p.m.

Location: Al Riwaq III, the Intercontinental Hotel, Dubai Festival City

Ali Al Saloom: Travel Trail

Ali al Saloom is an Emirati cultural and tourism presenter. He has released an Ask Ali series, which features two travel guides: Ask Ali: Your Guide to Abu Dhabi and Ask Ali: Your Guide to Dubai.

In this session, Ali Al Saloom will be joined by Nouri al-Jarrah and Salha Obeid and together, they will discuss everything related to travel and adventure. 

Session Date/Time: Friday, 3 February, 9 to 10 p.m.

Location: Al Amwaj I, the Intercontinental Hotel, Dubai Festival City

Maisoon Saker Al Qassimi: The Writing Compass

The Emirati author and poet Maisoon Saker Al Qassimi will discuss her journey of writing fiction, studying ancient Egyptian scriptures, and finding her voice in fiction.

She is the author of the novels Pearl in Mouth, Reesh Café, and An Eye on Egypt. She is also the winner of the Sheikh Zayed Book Award 2022.

Session Date/Time: Saturday, 4 February, 4:15 to 5:15 p.m.

Location: Al Amwaj I, the Intercontinental Hotel, Dubai Festival City

Nujoom Al Ghanem: Writing Through the Lens

Emirati poet, artist, and filmmaker Nujoom Al Ghanem is going to discuss writing fiction and the process of adapting literature to film with authors Noura Al Nouman and Sara Galadari.

Nujoom Al Ghanem has written eight poetry collections and she has directed more than twenty films. She received the Pride of the UAE Medal through the Mohammed bin Rashid Government Excellence Award in 2018. She has also won the Sheikh Rashid Award for Scientific Excellence for her cinematic contributions in addition to many other accolades.

Session Date/Time: Friday, 3 February, 6:30 to 7:30 p.m.

Location: MBRL Amphitheatre, Mohammed Bin Rashid Library, Al Jaddaf

Image Source: Emirates Literature Festival official website

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