24 November, Dubai, United Arab Emirates: The Emirates Airline Festival of Literature, the Arab World’s largest celebration of stories and ideas, is excited to announce the next wave of outstanding authors set to captivate audiences at the 16th edition of the Festival, taking place from 31 January to 6 February 2024, at the Intercontinental, Dubai Festival City.

The Festival is organised with the support of Title Sponsor Emirates Airline and Founding Partner, the Dubai Culture & Arts Authority (Dubai Culture), the Emirate’s dedicated authority for heritage, arts, and culture and under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the United Arab Emirates and Ruler of Dubai.

The Festival is thrilled to welcome an array of internationally renowned authors, including Booker Prize-winning author and President of the Royal Society of Literature Bernardine Evaristo; renowned shoe and accessories designer and author of Oh My Gosh, I Love Your Shoes! Sophia Webster; gender equality and arts advocate Eliza Reid, the First Lady of Iceland; Egyptian graphic novelist and illustrator Deena Mohamed; jewellery artist, sculptor and product designer Azza Al Qubaisi and critic, journalist, and fiction writer Ibrahim Farghali. Returning to the Emirates LitFest stage will be Booker Prize-winning poet and novelist Ben Okri OBE; children’s writer best known for writing the Mr Gum series Andy Stanton and Emirati poet and member of Untitled Chapters Amal Al Sahlawi. 

As part of this vibrant literary gathering, the Festival will present four engaging experiences catering to all age groups LitFest After Hours, Discovery Talks, LitFest Families, and Youth Day, offering attendees a diverse selection of events. 

Tickets for the Festival, along with the full speaker lineup and program details, will be available for purchase starting 14 December 2023. Festival enthusiasts are encouraged to become Foundation Friends, members of the Festival’s loyalty program, to enjoy a 20% discount on all ticket categories, priority booking, reserved seating, access to the Foundation Friends Lounge, and invitations to exclusive events.