Dubai: Fans of the Emirates Airline Festival of Literature are in line for twice the festival fun and two years of benefits when they renew their Foundation Friends memberships this year. Foundation Friends get access to priority booking and festival ticket discounts, in addition to other benefits.

“Our Foundation Friends mean the world to us, and we are so grateful for their continued support. While we do offer a range of benefits, we know most of our Foundation Friends support us because they believe in what we do and the importance of literature”, said Ahlam Bolooki, festival director of the Emirates Airline Festival of Literature. “The pandemic has changed many things, including some of the features people have come to expect at the Festival, and it is a difficult year for all of us. That is why we are offering the Foundation Friends members even better value this year. Benefits include a 10 per cent discount on tickets and priority booking before tickets go on public sale, which with fewer seats available due to social distancing, gives fans the chance to reserve the best seats in the house.”

The Festival is a celebration of stories that connect, entertain, inspire and challenge people of all ages and nationalities, and though slightly different in format for 2021, it will be just as vibrant in its lively, inspiring content. Tickets will be required for each session, including free sessions, to ensure visitor number are kept within guidelines. Seating will be numbered and allocated at purchase.

In addition to priority booking, Foundation Friends will enjoy savings of ten per cent off festival tickets and selected Emirates Literature Foundation events and workshops. There are also discounts and exclusive benefits on offer throughout the two years of membership such as 10 per cent off Costa Coffee, book purchases at Magrudy’s, and all courses at the New Media Academy. There will also be invitations to selected Foundation events throughout the two years.

Membership lasts for 24 months from the date of purchase and is available in four categories: Individual adult, couples, family membership and student, with prices starting from AED 100.  Purchasing membership on behalf book of lovers has proved a popular gift for in previous years.

The Festival will be fully compliant with all Covid-19 prevention regulations and guidelines from the Dubai Health Authorities. Observing social distancing measures across all three venues will be paramount, along with Covid regulations such as mandatory masks, and temperature checks. See full details on the Emirates LitFest website.

The Emirates Literature Foundation is the home of the award-winning Emirates Airline Festival of Literature. It is a not-for-profit organisation which supports and nurtures literature in the United Arab Emirates and the region through a programme of varied cultural initiatives.

More information about the Emirates Airline Festival of Literature can be found online and year-round news of #EmiratesLitFest on LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.

You can also tune in to the Foundation’s two podcasts; the Best of the Emirates LitFest, and the Boundless Book Club. 

Ends

For more information, please contact:
Krishina Gandhi
Krishina.gandhi@fourcommunications.com  

About the Emirates Airline Festival of Literature:

The Emirates Airline Festival of Literature is the Arab World’s largest celebration of the written and spoken word, featuring international and regional writers, poets, thinkers and speakers from around the world. Over the last 12 years more than 1,500 authors from over one hundred countries have spoken at the Festival.  In 2020 the Festival attracted an audience of more than 43,000, reaching a further 99,000 via live streaming. Sessions included explorer Ranulph Fiennes and mountaineer Chris Bonington, award-winning novelists Tayari Jones, Jokha Alharthi, Hoda Barakat,  Omaima Alkhamis, Mohammed Hanif and Esi Edugyan.  Other big names included Markus Zusack, Graeme Simsion, Santa Montefiore, Jo Nesbø, Linwood Barclay, Fatima Bhutto, visual artist and children’s book illustrator Oliver Jeffers and from the UAE space programme, Hazzaa AlMansouri.  The BOSH!  Vegan supper and Murder Mystery Dinner featuring Killing Eve creator Luke Jennings both sold out, as did a special pre-festival event with naturalist Jane Goodall, and a closing event celebrating the extraordinary story of refugee Nujeen Mustafa, who took part in the evening, with all proceeds going to Dubai Cares.

The aim of the Festival is to develop a culture of reading as an enjoyable habit in the UAE, and its efforts have been recognised through many awards over the years. By providing an equal platform for international and locally based talents, the Festival continues to build the literary landscape in the UAE and further afield. Alongside the main programme, the Festival organises an Education programme, which positively impacted on more than 30,000 students across the UAE in 2020. The programme includes education days, student sessions and author school visits where young people meet and interact with their favourite authors, plus student competitions, held in Arabic and English, which allow young people to showcase their skills through poetry, short stories and reading.

Held under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mohammad bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, the Festival is a key part of the Emirates Literature Foundation, which was established in 2013 by Royal Decree. In partnership with Emirates Airline and the Dubai Culture & Arts Authority (Dubai Culture), the Emirate’s dedicated authority for heritage, arts, and culture, the Emirates Airline Festival of Literature will be back from 4-6 February 2021. For information and updates about the Emirates Airline Festival of Literature visit the website: www.emirateslitfest.com

About the Emirates Literature Foundation:

The Emirates Literature Foundation is a not-for-profit organisation which supports and nurtures a love of literature in the United Arab Emirates and the region, through a programme of varied cultural initiatives.

Established in 2013 by Royal Decree issued by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, the Foundation aims to foster a love for literature, with a focus on the Arabic language.

In line with the National Reading Policy of the UAE, the Foundation has implemented several long-term projects including the School Librarian of the Year Award and the annual Arabic Language Week, as well as conducting year-round student education programmes, book clubs and creative writing courses. The Foundation’s previous initiatives included the 2016 Dubai Translation Conference and the 2017 Dubai International Publishing Conference, which hosted a number of international participants.

The Foundation is also the governing body of the Emirates Airline Festival of Literature, the UAE’s premier literary festival, which will be held 2– 6 February, 2021.

Emirates Literature Foundation
Dar Al Adaab
Al Shindagha Historical Neighbourhood
PO Box 24506
Dubai, UAE
www.elfdubai.org 

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