The Emirates Airline Festival of Literature was inaugurated in 2009. Its first edition featured 65 authors from different countries including Pulitzer Prize-winning Irish-American author Franck McCourt, for whom it was the final public appearance before his death.
EAFOL is designed to celebrate the written and spoken world, bringing together people of all ages and backgrounds together with authors from across the world. The festival aims to promote education and love of reading and writing. It features over 150 authors and more than 200 events each year, attracting over 40,000 attendees, both UAE residents and overseas visitors.
The festival offers a rich and diverse program which includes meetings with authors, book signings, presentations of new books, panel discussions, interviews, literary debates, poetry readings, workshops and masterclasses. The majority of sessions are conducted in either Arabic or English, a handful of sessions may also be conducted in other languages such as German, French, Chinese. EAFOL gives a great chance to meet your favorite authors or to discover someone new and exciting.
EAFOL has a special Children’s Program featuring authors, illustrators and storytellers. There is a series of sessions and workshops for children of different ages, from the tiniest tots to young adults. One of the festival’s key features is Education Day for schoolchildren and university students from across the country.
Another highlight of the Emirates Airline Festival of Literature is the Fringe. It is a series of free performances by artists from local schools, poetry collectives and theater groups designed to encourage local talent and provide entertainment. Other fun activities and events held alongside the festival include competitions, tea parties, the Arte Market, Time Out Story Corner, and more.
Photo: HHSH Majid Private Office
