Dubai: Child literacy and building bridges between the English and Arabic-language authors are set to be the key issues highlighted at the forthcoming Emirates Airline International Festival of Literature.
Isobel Abulhoul, Director, EAIFL and Magrudy's, said: "It will be a celebration and enjoyment of literature. It will bring interaction between Arabic-speaking and non-Arabic speaking authors and audiences and there will be facilitation for translations, to help this interaction."
"Children we feel are the future, so we want children to enjoy literature, to enjoy reading, to see it as a huge benefit, so we are arranging massive activities for children. On the education day, the authors will be going out to the children in schools. It's about reaching thousands of children simultaneously," she said.
British writer Anthony Horowitz, Turki Al Dakhil - Saudi journalist, Nahed Al Shawa - Saudi writer, and Egyptian writer Mekkawi Said were in attendance for the programme announcements.
Approximately 60 Arabic and English-language authors are set to attend the festival, which will be held from February 26 to March 1, 2009.
Al Shawa, a Saudi Arabian-based writer and publisher, said: "My dad gave me the gift of books when I was 10 years old, he gave me classics that people who are 20 years old were reading. Then I started reading and writing and at 19, I was inspired, and by 23 years old I had published my first book."
"I was looking for children's books and couldn't find any, so I decided to write books that my children would like to read and own. Books should be available in every house, everywhere. You should devote 10 minutes a day for your children to read," she said.
Authors in attendance will include Khalid Al Khamissi, Ebrahim Al Kouni, Kate Adie, Wilbur Smith and Sir Ranulph Fiennes.
Activities will be spread across Dubai Festival City and adjacent boardwalks, and main events will be held around the Intercontinental and Crowne Plaza Hotels.
By Alice Johnson, Staff Reporter