2017 Emirates Airline Festival of Literature Kicks Off With 180 Authors from Around the World

Dubai welcomes authors from 33 nations to Emirates Airline Festival of Literature 2017 today. The Festival takes place over nine days from 3-11 March and is held during the UAE's 2017 Month of Reading. Featuring more than 180 authors, including 70 authors from the UAE and the Arab World and 120 authors attending for the first time, not to be missed events include sessions with master storyteller Jeffrey Archer, celebrated Emirati writer Dr Hamad Al Hammady, Queen of Crime Writers Kathy Reichs, veteran Emirati author AbdullAziz AlMusallam and multi award-winning journalist Christina Lamb.

Below, Jeffrey Archer shares tips to aspiring writers!

The festival includes:

• 40 Emirati authors
• 250 sessions, panels, workshops and masterclasses
• 50 children's sessions
• More than 33 different nationalities represented
• Simultaneous translation for Arabic and English for most sessions

Festival highlights include #CookforSYRIA. In this UAE Year of Giving, the Festival hosts the Cook for Syria fundraising dinner where all proceeds from the event go to Emirates Red Crescent and proceeds from the #CookForSYRIA book sales go directly to UNICEF's Children of Syria Fund. Murder Mystery Dinner is back with a killer script and a three-course meal to keep audience's taste buds as entertained as their 'little grey cells'; and enjoy Desert Stanzas, an evening under the stars in a traditional desert camp, with an Arabian feast, a flickering campfire and performances by world renowned poets.

Aspiring writers can book their place on one of the three Residential Creative Writing Courses, conducted by award-winning international authors from 5-7 March.

Dubai International Publishing Conference will address all aspects of the industry from starting up a business to managing runaway bestsellers, held from 5-6 March.

In 2016, the UAE government established two new Ministries, one for Tolerance and the other for Happiness. The ideals of these two government entities will be examined at the Festival through a number of panel discussions including the session 'A Time for Tolerance' with Cabinet Member and Minister of State for Tolerance Her Excellency Sheikha Lubna Bint Khalid Al Qasimi leading the panel.

Ticket prices start at AED 40 and many children's events and activities are available free of charge. Tickets can be purchased on the Festival website (tickets.emirateslitfest.com) or via the ELF Dubai app, available on the iOS and Google Play app stores and at Magrudy's outlets around the UAE. Become a Foundation Friend and enjoy benefits throughout the year, including priority booking on Festival tickets, as well as exclusive discounts at selected Emirates Literature Foundation events and workshops and retail outlets in the UAE.

More information about the Emirates Airline Festival of Literature can be found online. Fans can keep up to date with #DubaiLitFest action on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube and year-round news of #ELFDubai on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Snapchat.

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