Your Guide to Emirates Literature Festival 2024

Booklovers are waiting impatiently for one of the biggest literature events in the UAE, the Emirates Literature Festival 2024, which is taking place in Dubai from Jan. 31 to Feb. 6.

Venues of the Emirates Literature Festival 2024

The events for the Emirates Literature Festival will take place at the Intercontinental Dubai Festival City, the Theatre of Digital Art, and Caravanserai. 

Festival goers need to plan their commute way ahead of the festival to ensure that they don't miss their sessions!

Tickets for the Emirates Literature Festival 2024

Get your tickets for the Emirates Literature Festival 2024 at the festival's official website.

Famous Authors at Emirates Literature Festival 2024

Claudia Rankine

Famous American poet, essayist, and playwright will be at the Emirates Lit Fest on Feb. 2 from 4:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.

She will also have a conversation with Booker Prize Winner Bernardine Evaristo on Feb. 4 from 1:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m.

Both sessions will take place at the Intercontinental.

Rankine has published five poetry collections, including 'Citizen: An American Lyric'.

Bernardine Evaristo

Barnardine Evaristo jointly won the Booker Prize in 2019 with Margaret Atwood for her book 'Girl, Woman, Other'.

Other than her session with Rankine, Evaristo will also have her session on Feb. 3 from 5:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. at the Intercontinental.

Curtis Sittenfeld

International best-selling author and BookTok sensation Curtis Sittenfeld will discuss her famous book 'Romantic Comedy' at Emirates Lit Fest on Feb. 4, from 11:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. at the Intercontinental. 

She will be part of another session on Feb. 2, from 3:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Toshikazu Kawaguchi

You've probably seen 'Before the Coffee Gets Cold' on Bookstagram too many times to count, so its author Toshikazu Kawaguchi is coming to the Emirates Literature Festival to talk about his new book series!

Kawaguchi will be at the festival on Feb. 2 from 7:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at the Intercontinental.

Miral Al Tahawy 

Egyptian novelist Miral Al Tahawy, whose novel 'Tales of the Town From the Rising Sun' was shortlisted for the 2023 International Prize for Arabic Fiction, will be at the Emirates Lit Fest!

She will be available at two sessions: one on Feb. 3 at 3:00 p.m. and another on Feb. 3 at 2:00 p.m.

Both sessions will take place at the Intercontinental. 

Saud Al Sanousi 

Saud Al Sanousi is a Kuwaiti novelist who won the 2013 International Prize for Arabic Fiction and he will be at the Emirates Literature Festival 2024. 

He will be part of the following three sessions:

• Jan. 31: at 7:00 p.m. at the Intercontinental
• Feb. 2: at 7:00 p.m. at the Intercontinental
• Feb. 4: at 5:00 p.m. at the Intercontinental

Other Authors and Famous Personalities at the Emirates Literature Festival 2024

Other famous authors that will be at the festival are the Booker-winning poet Ben Okri, winner of the 2023 Booker Prize Paul Lynch, the author of 'Fourth Wing' Rebecca Yaros, author of 'P.S. I Love You' Cecelia Ahern, Sudanese author Leila Aboulela, and many others. 

Some famous personalities will also be at the festival and they include:

• first Arab to perform the spacewalk,Emirati astronaut Dr. Sultan Al Neyadi
• A descendent of the Cartier family Francesca Cartier Brickell 
• Daughter of Stephen Hawking Lucy Hawking 
• Famous figure skater Zahra Lari 

• The First Lady of Iceland Eliza Reid
• Baroness Floella Benjamin

Other Events at the Emirates Literature Festival 2024

 

 

 

 

View this post on Instagram

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A post shared by EmiratesLitFest (@emirateslitfest)

There will be various writing workshops for non-fiction, fiction, poetry, zines, and other topics related to writing and publishing. 

Other fun and exciting events will include LitFest After Hours, from Feb. 1 to Feb. 4, starting at 6:00 p.m. at the Intercontinental.

The festival will also host the first-ever TikTok Book Awards Middle East and North Africa on Feb. 4 at 8:00 p.m. at the Intercontinental.

Experience some magical verses from all around the world at the Desert Stanzas on Feb. 1 at 7:00 p.m. at Caravanserai.

If you're looking to enjoy beautiful Arabic poetry and music performances, attend Arabic Poetry and Oud Night at the Theatre of Digital Art.

There are various thrilling activities for children as well from performances, art workshops, and other fun things!

Keep a lookout at UAE Moments, for all the latest updates about the Emirates Literature Festival 2024!

Main image source: @emirateslitfest Instagram page