The Emirates Airline Festival of Literature opened on 21 January at the InterContinental Dubai Festival City. Now in its 18th year, the festival has become a key event on the global literary calendar, where conversations go beyond the page.
For seven days to 27 January, Dubai will host a packed programme that brings readers and writers together, placing the festival at the heart of the city’s cultural scene.
This year, the festival will welcome nearly 200 speakers from over 40 countries. The lineup includes internationally bestselling authors like Wole Soyinka, Hoda Barakat, Jung Chang, Saud Alsanousi, Oliver Jeffers, Alawiya Sobh, Ruth Ware, Ezzat Elkamhawi, Vir Das, Sultan Al Amimi, Curtis Jobling, Omer Taher, Eowyn Ivey, Dai Rahmi, MC Grammar, Asma Khan, Abdulrahman Alhemeiri, Aube Rey Lescure, Naeema Al Hosani, and Shamma Al Bastaki.
From gripping storytelling sessions to inspiring panels and hands-on workshops, the programme spans over 200 events, including conversations, performances, writers’ corner, and family activities.
The Festival opened in the presence of Her Excellency Sheikha Lubna Al Qasimi, His Excellency Zaki Anwar Nusseibeh, the Cultural Advisor to the President of the UAE and the Chancellor of UAE University, Her Excellency Hala Badri, Director General of Dubai Culture and Arts Authority, Her Excellency Shatha Al Mulla, Assistant Undersecretary for the National Identity and Arts Sector of the Ministry of Culture, along Dr. Rafia Ghubash, Founder of the Women's Museum, Boutros Boutros, Executive Vice President, Corporate Communications, Marketing and Brand for Emirates, Dubai Abulhoul, Founder of Fikr Institute, and Lieutenant Colonel Hamdan Al Suwaidi.
Ahlam Bolooki, CEO of Emirates Literature Foundation and Director of Emirates Airline Festival of Literature, said: "This festival is about more than books; it’s about hope, human connection, the questions we carry, the lives we live, and the stories that help us make sense of them. It is for parents teaching their child their mother tongue, young professionals learning to navigate a complex world, and readers seeking truth in uncertain times. Come, listen, read, and leave with something that stays with you long after the festival ends."
The festival continues to celebrate Emirati creativity and voices through its programme, shining a spotlight on the nation’s remarkable talent and cultivating connections between Emirati authors, thinkers, and the wider global literary community.
Click here for the complete lineup, awards, events, and everything you need to know