Don’t forget: Emirates LitFest to kick off this weekend in Dubai

Dubai - Nobel Prize winner Malala, Booker nominees Avni Doshi (Burnt Sugar) and Oyinkan Braithwaite (My Sister the Serial Killer) will be among the authors taking the stage.

Countdown to Emirates Airline Festival of Literature 2021 — one of the most highly anticipated literary events in the Dubai calendar — has begun.

Spread across three venues over three weekends, the festival with the theme ‘Change the Story’ expects to host more than 95 authors from 28 countries, with around 15 of them currently planned to appear virtually.

Nobel Prize winner Malala, Booker nominees Avni Doshi (Burnt Sugar) and Oyinkan Braithwaite (My Sister the Serial Killer) will be among the authors taking the stage.

The festival will be held with founding partners Emirates Airline and the Dubai Culture and Arts Authority (Dubai Culture), and this year’s venue includes Jameel Arts Centre (January 29-30), the festival’s home InterContinental Dubai Festival City (February 4-6) and Alserkal Avenue (February 12-13).

Safety was the top priority in planning the festival this year, the authorities said. The on-ground team will also undergo regular PCR tests.

“We have cut capacities to allow for social distancing and put into place several policies and procedures to keep authors, visitors and the team safe,” said Ahlam Bolooki, festival director, Emirates Airline Festival of Literature.

The number of seats per room has been reduced by 50 per cent to ensure social distancing, which means there are fewer tickets available than normal. Also, sessions have been staggered to limit crowds.

All the sessions (physical and virtual) will take place in Arabic or English, or sometimes a combination of both, with simultaneous translation.

Other programme highlights include sessions with internationally acclaimed authors Elif Shafak, Amin Maalouf and Lemn Sissay.

Magrudy’s, the festival’s official bookseller, will stock the books by all 95+ authors. Many sessions will be inspired by the 2021 festival theme, capturing the spirit of the current times through talks and performances centred on books, art, science, current affairs, film and food. For more, visit emirateslitfest.com

purva@khaleejtimes.com

• Dubai