# Emirates Airline Festival of Literature 2025 in Dubai
The Emirates Airline Festival of Literature 2025 started its programme on January 29 at the InterContinental Dubai Festival City. Running through February 3, the event presents six action-filled days featuring renowned authors and intellectuals who engage world-class writers and storytellers across diverse formats of public dialogue.
Star-Studded Author Lineup
The 2025 Emirates Airline Festival of Literature showcases an exceptional roster of authors. Highlights include Abraham Verghese, Nobel laureate Abdulrazak Gurnah, Emmy Award-winning journalist Hala Gorani, and Booker Prize nominee Chigozie Obioma. Fans of popular fiction will find excitement meeting Jeff Kinney — author of Diary of a Wimpy Kid — and Daniel Handler, known as Lemony Snicket, whose works include A Series of Unfortunate Events.
Additional participants include travel writer Dr. Mohamed Al Mansi Qandil, Emirati poet Khalid Albudoor, and Franco-Palestinian chef and author Fadi Kattan.
More Than an Author-Audience Event
Aham Bolooki of the Emirates Literature Foundation declared that this cultural gathering serves as more than a traditional author-audience event — it reconstructs the way people engage in dialogue. Through diverse tracks centred around literature, mental well-being, and business, the festival seeks to spread bold ideas and encourage creative thinking.
Special Events and Youth Programming
Two signature events cater to poetry lovers at Desert Stanzas and culinary fans at the All That Glitters dinner under a starlit sky.
Through the Youth Programme, aspiring writers can attend workshops in writing, editing, and publishing skills in both English and Arabic. Live shows, family activities, and author discussions round out the highlights of this cultural gathering.
Dubai Culture and Emirati Writers
Dubai Culture supports the festival through Bil Emirati sponsorship, creating meaningful opportunities for Emirati writers to share their work alongside international authors. The event is backed by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, reinforcing Dubai's position as a leading global cultural hub.
For tickets and the full programme, visit emirateslitfest.com.
