The Emirates Airline Festival of Literature has been voted Best Festival in the region after winning the category in the Middle East Event 2013 Awards.

The announcement was made last night (22 May 2013) at a glittering ceremony at the JW Marriott Marquis Hotel Dubai.

It is a double celebration for Festival Director Isobel Abulhoul OBE, who this week was named as one of the most influential Brits in the UAE. She said: 'We are absolutely ecstatic to have been voted the best festival in the Middle East, and it is especially gratifying as the endorsement comes from our peers in the events industry. It is a wonderful and defining moment to have an international independent panel of industry judges vote and select the festival as the winner.

'I think that is a genuine accolade for cultural events in the UAE and affirmation that audiences love live and celebratory events that have the written word at their heart. The Award is a great tribute to our small team who work with such enthusiasm throughout the year to produce this marvelous event, the many volunteers who join us to make the event so outstanding, and the support of our many sponsors, particularly our title sponsor Emirates airline and partners Dubai Culture and Arts Authority, without whom the Festival would not be possible.'

The Festival, now in its sixth year, is the Middle East’s largest celebration of the written and spoken word, and recognised by international authors and those locally based as one of the foremost international events in the literary world. The fifth anniversary was honoured by Royal decree, establishing it as part of a new charitable foundation.

This year’s event took place from 5-9 March at the Intercontinental Dubai Festival City, with more than 30,000 people enjoying 200+ events from 120 writers from 30 countries including Dr Shashi Tharoor delivering the prestigious Orwell Lecture, Jeffrey Archer, Booker prize winner Ben Okri, Tan Twan Eng, Ian Rankin, Jeffery Deaver, Philip Ardagh, Abdel Bari Atwan, Shobhaa De, Adel Khozam, Mark Billingham , Jeet Thayil, Simon Armitage, Bobby Chinn, Antonio Carluccio and many more.

In addition to promoting an enjoyment and love of reading and writing for all, with stimulating and inspiring sessions and workshops by top international authors, one of the key elements which sets the Festival apart from other international literary festivals is the inclusion of a strong education and children’s programme.

This year a partnership with Dubai Culture included a landmark cultural event, Desert Stanzas, a magical evening of poetry under the stars, which was honoured with a visit from His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, UAE Vice-President & Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, who is patron of the Festival. Other special evening events included a Murder Mystery Dinner, led by authors who turned sleuth for the evening, and Art in Action, a fusion of art, performance, poetry and storytelling that was staged throughout the Festival.

Next year’s Festival will be held from 4-8 March 2014, however the Festival continues throughout the year with events and workshops held at the Festival home, Dar Al Adaab, in Dubai's Al Fahidi Historic Area. For more details see emirateslitfest.com.

ENDS

For more information, please contact

The Emirates Airline Festival of Literature

Carmel Rosato
Head of Communications
Tel: +971 (04) 353 4002 ext 207
Mob: +971 50 9200 287
carmel.rosato@emirateslitfest.com

Hiba Kunil, Public Relations Manager
Tel: +971 (04) 353 4002 ext 204
hiba.kunil@emirateslitfest.com

Notes to editors

1. Isobel Albuhoul was named as the 16th most influential British national in the UAE by Arabian Business magazine on 21 May 2013.
2.  About the Emirates Airline Festival of Literature:

The Emirates Airline Festival of Literature is the Middle East’s largest celebration of the written and spoken word, bringing people of all ages and backgrounds together with authors from across the world to promote education, debate and above all else, love of reading and writing.

The Festival creates a wonderful opportunity for UAE nationals, residents and visitors to meet world famous authors, attend literary debates, listen to readings, participate in workshops and experience the exciting fringe and children’s events.  With simultaneous translation between Arabic and English for all sessions, the Festival is a meeting of minds where ideas are shared and friendships are formed – not least among the authors themselves.

The Festival has become an eagerly anticipated annual event and in 2013  welcomed more than 120 writers, thinkers and speakers from 30 countries. More than 30,000 visitors attended the Festival which had over 200 one-off sessions and unique events to be experienced and enjoyed in a programme designed for wide appeal, with something to suit every taste.

The 2014 Festival will be held March 4-8, 2014 at The Intercontinental Hotel, Dubai Festival City under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, UAE Vice-President & Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, and in partnership with Emirates airline and the Dubai Culture & Arts Authority (Dubai Culture), the emirate’s dedicated Authority for culture, arts, and heritage.

The LitFest also hosts a regular series of literary events during the winter months (October-April) at its home – Dar Al Adaab (House of Literature) in Al Fahidi Historic Area under the banner The Dar Al Adaab Open Door Series.

For all information and updates about the Emirates Airline Festival of Literature visit the website: www.emirateslitfest.com.

On Wednesday 6 March 2013, the Emirates Airline Festival of Literature held a new kind of event. Billed as 'an evening of enchantment bringing together music, poetry and traditional Arab dining beneath the desert sky', Desert Stanzas featured a fantastic lineup of international poets - Simon Armitage, Roger McGough, Sjon, Ben Okri and Jeet Thayil - who joined local voices Nujoom Al Ghanem and Adel Khozam at a camp in Dubai's desert.

Also present were a film crew from BBC World News' travel programme, Fast Track. You can see the clip they produced embedded below:

The Emirates Airline Festival of Literature has been shortlisted in the 'Best Festival' and 'Best Arts and Cultural Event' categories of the Middle East EVENT Awards.The nominees in each category appear below.

Best Festival
Emirates Airline Festival of Literature
Chillout productions - Emirates Airline Jazz Festival
Dubai Shopping Festival
Rediflo - Summer in Abu Dhabi
WRG - Qasr Al Hosn Festival

Best Arts and Cultural Event
Emirates Airline Festival of Literature
Filmaster - -50th anniversary of the constitution of Kuwait
The Fridge - Kalubela
WRG Qasr Al Hosn Festival

The winner will be announced on 22 May. For full details, visit http://www.me-eventawards.com/

Annabel Kantaria recieving the first place for the Montegrappa First Fiction competition from Luigi Bonomi and Charles Nahhas, MD, Motegrappa ME

A budding Dubai-based novelist’s literary aspirations have been given a boost thanks to an innovative competition organised by the Emirates Airline Festival of Literature.

Annabel Kantaria won a visit to London Book Fair 2013 (15-17 April), including lunch with literary agent Luigi Bonomi, after coming first in the inaugural Montegrappa First Fiction Competition. A British journalist currently working as the Telegraph’s Dubai-based “Expat” blogger, Kantaria (42) has been living in Dubai for 15 years. She beat more than 70 entries to win first place with the synopsis of her book entitled The Marmalade Murders, an 80,000 word Romantic Mystery.

The competition was open exclusively to UAE residents over the age of 21 years who have never had a novel published. Entrants sent in a 400 word synopsis and the first five pages of their fiction manuscript to the Festival which were then read and evaluated by Bonomi.

Kantaria did not know she had won the competition until the moment her name was called at the event, during Bonomi’s ‘How to Get Published’ session devoted to helping aspiring novelists. She said, ’I am stunned, overjoyed and honoured because I know Dubai is home to a lot of good writing talent. Being an author is a dream I've chased since I wrote my first short story aged six. I grew up writing stories - and to date I dream of doing nothing but writing novels. I can't tell you how many first drafts of novels are gathering dust in my bottom drawer and clogging up my hard drive. To have my pitch read by LBA Agency was a fantastic opportunity. For me, winning any prize would have been a wonderful confidence boost and a fantastic start getting my career as an author on track. Just to receive any sort of accolade or advice from Luigi Bonomi is a dream come true.’

‘It was fascinating to see the very broad range of subject matters that were covered,’ said Bonomi. ‘Being one of the world’s most cosmopolitan and international of cities, it was inevitable that many of the fiction entries were centred on the melting pot nature of the place. So we have international bankers up to no good, and oil dealers mixing with star crossed lovers, but we also had a large number of entries aimed at young adults – adventure stories with fantastical elements.

‘In judging the competition, I was mindful of just how difficult the publishing landscape is today and how publishers and readers are looking for original storylines – novels that can stand out. In judging the winners one has to balance original storylines with the quality of the writing – some novels were very well written but not original enough while others were not so well written yet had very original storylines; all of this had to be balanced to ensure that in the end the stories that were chosen would be those that stood the best chance of being looked at by publishers.

‘In the end the top three winners were exactly the types of stories that would excite the appetite of any agent,’ he concluded.

Festival Director Isobel Abulhoul said: ‘The competition’s aim was to give a boost to the literary scene in the Emirates and find a way to encourage and nurture talent. The number and quality of entrants was a wonderful reflection of the creative spirit that is flourishing here and we look forward to being able to showcase new talent through the competition for many years to come.’

In second place was Rachel Hamilton with The Case of the Exploding Portaloo: An Investigation by Know-All Hawkins, Aged 12. Rachel describes her 46,000 word novel as suitable for Middle Readers aged 9-12. In third place is Linda C MacConnell with The Crossroads of Dreams which is literary fiction and runs to 76,000 words.

Kantaria’s trip to the three day London Book Fair 2013, has been made possible with flights courtesy of Emirates and accommodation from Intercontinental Hotels.

All three winners received a copy of the Writers’ and Artists’ Yearbook and were presented with a unique Montegrappa writing instrument, engraved with their name.

Charles Nahhas, Managing Director of Montegrappa Middle East, which sponsored the competition, said that the company was delighted to be involved with the Festival and particularly in championing new writers: “Being makers of the world's most exclusive writing instruments isn't only about making beautiful pens. It is also about celebrating mankind's mastery of the written word. Any initiative that encourages writing is to be applauded, and this competition is a wonderful way to discover and encourage our new, talented novelists and give them that much needed first exposure to the literary world.”

The Emirates Airline Festival of Literature 2014 will take place in Dubai next year from 4 to 8 March under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, UAE Vice-President & Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, and in partnership with Emirates Airline and the Dubai Culture & Arts Authority (Dubai Culture), the Emirate’s dedicated Authority for culture, arts, and heritage. For more details of the Festival please see www.emirateslitfest.com

ENDS

FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT

Hiba Kunil, Public Relations Manager
Tel: +971 (04) 353 4002 ext 204
hiba.kunil@emirateslitfest.com

Carmel Rosato, Communications Director
Tel: +971 (04) 353 4002 ext 207
Mob: +971 (0) 509200 287
carmel.rosato@emirateslitfest.com

Notes to editors

The Marmalade Murders - A synopsis

The Marmalade Murders is about a 32-year-old British expat called Evie, who flies to her home town in England after the unexpected death of her father.

While she’s in England, Evie notices that an unusually high number of old people who attend the local church have died. She finds it suspicious and, worried about her mum, she extends her stay in England in order to find out more.

Evie’s suspicions focus on a 55-year-old ex-nurse called Audrey, who sells homemade marmalade to raise money for the church roof fund. Evie quickly becomes convinced that Audrey’s behind the deaths – but is she deliberately setting out to kill the old people, accidentally poisoning them via the marmalade, or is something more sinister going on?

About the Emirates Airline Festival of Literature

The Emirates Airline Festival of Literature is the Middle East’s largest celebration of the written and spoken word, bringing people of all ages and backgrounds together with authors from across the world to promote education, debate and above all else, love of reading and writing.  

The Festival creates a wonderful opportunity for UAE nationals, residents and visitors to meet world famous authors, attend literary debates, listen to readings, participate in workshops and experience the exciting fringe and children’s events. With simultaneous translation between Arabic and English for all sessions, the Festival is a meeting of minds where ideas are shared and friendships are formed – not least among the authors themselves.

The 2013 Festival will be held March 5-9, 2013 at The Intercontinental Hotel, Dubai Festival City under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, UAE Vice-President & Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, and in partnership with Emirates airline and the Dubai Culture & Arts Authority (Dubai Culture), the emirate’s dedicated Authority for culture, arts, and heritage.

The LitFest also hosts a regular series of literary events during the winter months (October-April) at its home – Dar Al Adaab (House of Literature) in Al Fahidi Historic Area under the banner The Dar Al Adaab Open Door Series.

About Montegrappa

Montegrappa, Italy's oldest manufacturer of luxury writing instruments, was founded in 1912 and operates, to this day, from the same historic building at the foot of the Monte Grappa mountain in North East Italy where Italians heroically defended their country during two world wars. Today, Montegrappa continues a long tradition of craftsmanship in producing exquisite hand-made masterpieces that celebrate mankind's mastery of the written word. Appreciated by pen collectors, writers, statesmen and celebrities, as well as anyone with an appreciation of the finer things in life, Montegrappa's products embody the pride, passion, and style that make up the 'soul of Italy'. For more information visit www.montegrappa.com or email press@montegrappa.com.

The Oxford University Press Story Writing competition, which is now in its second year at the Emirates LitFest, ended today with a prize giving ceremony to some of UAE’s promising young writers. The students from UAE’s local schools were honoured at a special award ceremony at the fifth Emirates LitFest by leading education group Oxford University Press and The Emirates Airline Festival of Literature.

The judges also commented on the quality of winning entries that were submitted and organisers were pleased to note the enthusiasm of schools that are establishing Creative Writing groups and actively encouraging children to enter the competition. This year’s topic Seeking The Truth, chosen by Carnegie Medal winner and last year’s LitFest guest Tim Bowler, encouraged a total of over 1000 entries in English and Arabic covering different age groups with the best entries getting published in dual language books. The artwork for the cover is commissioned by Dubai Culture & Arts Authority from local artist Hamdan Buti Al Shamsi. Prizes also include trophies and books signed by Authors and tickets to sessions. 

The award was presented to the winning students by children’s author Geraldine McCaughrean and Khulood Al Hajiri, in the presence of representatives from Oxford University Press, including David Perry, Regional Sales Manager (Academic Division), Julie Till and Wissam Al Hassanieh, as well as Isobel Abulhoul, Festival Director, Emirates Airline Festival of Literature.

Julie Till, Regional Manager, Oxford University Press, who was present at the award ceremony commented, 'In these days of digital distractions, it is a pleasure to see so many young writers engaged in creative writing. Oxford University Press is delighted to help nurture creative talent here in the UAE by sponsoring this competition.'

The winners - English language

11 and under Age Group

Ella Jenkins
Ella Barnett
Amber Waite

12 to 14 Age Group

Nancy Smith   
Abigail Smith   
Alexandra Brock

15 to 17 Age Group

Aatikah Mouti   
Teresa Francis
Nermeen Islam

18+ Age Group

Ayesha Sharafi
Nela Lukic   
Yousuf El Abbasy

The winners - Arabic language

11 and under Age Group

Fahad Sami Fahad Ali Mohammed
Khalifa Mahmood Rasheed
Nasr Nasoor

12 to 14 Age Group

Mohammed Khattab Mohammed Abd Alkader
Amna Baqer
Ali Ibrahem

15 to 17 Age Group

Amal Abdulrahim AlJanahi
Sarah Yousuf Arif
Areej Yousuf Mohammad

18+ Age Group

Hamda Atiq Al-Hammadi
Ahmed Al Hashimi

ENDS

FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT:

The Emirates Airline Festival of Literature

Hiba Kunil, Public Relations Manager
Tel: +971 (04) 353 4002 ext 204
hiba.kunil@emirateslitfest.com

Christina Bruce, Head of Strategy and Communications
Tel.: +971 (04) 353 4002 ext 207
christina.bruce@emirateslitfest.com

Ketchum-Raad

Feras Saleh
Feras.salah@ketchum-raad.com

Abir Ben Bechir
Abir.ben-bechir@ketchum-raad.com

Notes to Editors

About the Emirates Airline Festival of Literature

The Emirates Airline Festival of Literature is the Middle East’s largest celebration of the written and spoken word, bringing people of all ages and backgrounds together with authors from across the world to promote education, debate and above all else, love of reading and writing.

The Festival creates a wonderful opportunity for UAE nationals, residents and visitors to meet world famous authors, attend literary debates, listen to readings, participate in workshops and experience the exciting fringe and children’s events. With simultaneous translation between Arabic and English for all sessions, the Festival is a meeting of minds where ideas are shared and friendships are formed – not least among the authors themselves.

The 2013 Festival which has become an eagerly anticipated annual event will welcome more than 120 writers, thinkers and speakers from 30 countries. It is expected that 30,000+ visitors will attend the Festival which will have over 200 one-off sessions and unique events to be experienced and enjoyed in a programme that has been designed for wide appeal, with something to suit every taste.

The 2013 Festival will be held March 5-9, 2013 at The Intercontinental Hotel, Dubai Festival City under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, UAE Vice-President & Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, and in partnership with Emirates airline and the Dubai Culture & Arts Authority (Dubai Culture), the emirate’s dedicated Authority for culture, arts, and heritage.

The LitFest also hosts a regular series of literary events during the winter months (October-April) at its home – Dar Al Adaab (House of Literature) in Al Fahidi Historic Area under the banner The Dar Al Adaab Open Door Series.

About Oxford University Press

Oxford University Press is a department of the University of Oxford. It furthers the University's objective of excellence in research, scholarship, and education by publishing worldwide. OUP is the world's largest university press, with a wide global reach. It currently publishes more than 6,000 new publications a year, has a presence in around fifty countries, and employs more than 5,000 people worldwide. It has become familiar to millions through a diverse publishing programme that includes scholarly works in all academic disciplines, bibles, music, school and college textbooks, children's books, materials for teaching English as a foreign language, business books, dictionaries and reference books, and academic journals.

To find out more about Oxford University Press please visit www.oup.com. To find out about OUP’s English Language Teaching publications please visit www.oup.com/elt.

Julie Till, Regional Manager, Oxford University Press
julie.till@oup.com / Telephone: 04 3644695

The second year of the Taaleem-sponsored poetry writing competition ended in a very happy note with young poetic talents announced as winners for the competition.

The students from UAE’s local schools were honoured at a special award ceremony at the fifth Emirates LitFest by leading education group Taaleem and the Emirates Airline Festival of Literature.

With this year’s theme being ‘Hero or Villain?’, the competition was staged in Arabic and English with 600+ entries in total in English and Arabic into age specific categories with the best entries getting published in dual language books. The artwork for the cover was commissioned by Dubai Culture & Arts Authority from local artist Hamdan Buti Al Shamsi. The prizes also include trophies and books signed by authors and tickets to sessions. The competition was judged by author Frank Dullaghan and creative writing teacher Joan Scott-Minter.

Commenting on the wealth of creative poetic talent amongst the young people of the UAE, Frank Dullaghan commented, 'There is always great satisfaction in judging a children’s poetry competition. Over the many years I have judged such competitions, first in the UK and now in Dubai, I have always been lifted by the surprise and joy of the children’s fine imaginations, when writing at their best. There are always gems to be found. You now have the privilege of reading the work of these young poets; of seeing the sparkle; of sharing that surprise, that imagination, with me.'

The award was presented to the winning students by renowned international poet Roger McGough, Emirati poet Adel Khozam, Ziad Azzam, Chief Executive Officer, Taaleem and Isobel Abulhoul, Festival Director, Emirates Airline Festival of Literature.

Commenting on their partnership, Ziad Azzam, Chief Executive Officer, Taaleem said 'One of my lasting memories of last year’s competition will always be some of its youngest poets, who, with a maturity and passion well beyond their years, stole the hearts of those of us in the audience with dramatic renditions of their poems. At the end of last year’s Taaleem Poetry Award I said that the competition could not have yielded a more positive and encouraging result, especially as it was the inaugural event. There was remarkable quality in the submissions in both Arabic and English, which was indicative of the wealth of young creative talent we have in the country. We at Taaleem are thrilled that we have provided another platform in the UAE for inspiring young poets to voice their creative thoughts and emotions through poetic expression. We hope that the Taaleem Poetry Award will continue to draw unbelievable regional talent to the forefront and we are all eagerly awaiting the pleasure of reading the submissions this year.'

The Winners - English Language

11 and under Age Group

Anya Vaghani
Mariam Mohanad   
Amaan Raza

12 to 14 Age Group

Avi Pradhan   
Keertana Subramani   
Michael Vogel

15 to 17 Age Group

Teresa Francis
Reem Waleed
Malavika Santosh Kumar
Sunaina Hussain

18+ Age Group

Thomas Taylor
Richa Kundnani    
Abdirahman Hussein

The Winners - Arabic Language

11 and under Age Group

Noor Khalid Bin Hammad
Rayan Khalid Bin Hammad
Roudha Mahmood Rasheed
Shaikha Raied Almannai

12 to 14 Age Group

Sara Faraj Hassan Amiri
Melia Hazem Zinou
Jassem Mohammad Akran

15 to 17 Age Group

Dima Maher Abdallah
Fatma Khalid Abdulla Rashed Al Blooshi
Batool Ahmad Ilyasi

18+ Age Group

Alaa Bin Kuwair AlNahdi
Dania Fouad Fahed Al Endaree
Noura Isa Saeed

ENDS

FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT:

The Emirates Airline Festival of Literature

Hiba Kunil, Public Relations Manager
Tel: +971 (04) 353 4002 ext 204
hiba.kunil@emirateslitfest.com

Christina Bruce, Head of Strategy and Communications
Tel.: +971 (04) 353 4002 ext 207
christina.bruce@emirateslitfest.com

Ketchum-Raad

Feras Saleh
Feras.salah@ketchum-raad.com

Abir Ben Bechir
Abir.ben-bechir@ketchum-raad.com

Notes to Editors

About the Emirates Airline Festival of Literature

The Emirates Airline Festival of Literature is the Middle East’s largest celebration of the written and spoken word, bringing people of all ages and backgrounds together with authors from across the world to promote education, debate and above all else, love of reading and writing.

The Festival creates a wonderful opportunity for UAE nationals, residents and visitors to meet world famous authors, attend literary debates, listen to readings, participate in workshops and experience the exciting fringe and children’s events. With simultaneous translation between Arabic and English for all sessions, the Festival is a meeting of minds where ideas are shared and friendships are formed – not least among the authors themselves.

The 2013 Festival which has become an eagerly anticipated annual event will welcome more than 120 writers, thinkers and speakers from 30 countries. It is expected that 30,000+ visitors will attend the Festival which will have over 200 one-off sessions and unique events to be experienced and enjoyed in a programme that has been designed for wide appeal, with something to suit every taste.

The 2013 Festival will be held March 5-9, 2013 at The Intercontinental Hotel, Dubai Festival City under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, UAE Vice-President & Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, and in partnership with Emirates airline and the Dubai Culture & Arts Authority (Dubai Culture), the emirate’s dedicated Authority for culture, arts, and heritage.

The LitFest also hosts a regular series of literary events during the winter months (October-April) at its home – Dar Al Adaab (House of Literature) in Al Fahidi Historic Area under the banner The Dar Al Adaab Open Door Series.

About Taaleem

Taaleem, which means education in Arabic, has been establishing, operating and managing early childhood, primary and secondary schools in the UAE since its inception in 2004. Taaleem seeks to raise the regional educational standards through the committed development of individual student’s talents and passions, which is in turn facilitated and supported by the recruitment of top international educators and the implementation of international education policies, operations and global best practice.

With quality at the forefront of Taaleem’s offering, each project is tailored to answer the specific educational requirements of a wide range of families by offering top international curricula including British, American, the International Baccalaureate and their proprietary custom early childhood programme.

Taaleem is wholeheartedly committed to creating and implementing benchmark educational initiatives, nurturing educational excellence through the attraction, retention and development of the best educators. The continuous evaluation and improvement of standards across all schools has ensured that the Taaleem schools have been established as valued cornerstones of their communities.

For more information about Taaleem please contact:

Clive Pierrepont, Director of Communications, Taaleem
cpierrepont@taaleem.ae " target="_blank">cpierrepont@taaleem.ae
Telephone: 0558097447

Murder was committed last night, with more than 300 witnesses to the act – but all was in light-hearted fun as the scene of the crime was the Emirates Airline Festival of Literature.

In keeping with this year’s Festival theme of Heroes and Villains, the event was a Murder Mystery Dinner, which saw authors - and among them several crime-writers - put their sleuthing skills to the test, along with festival-goers who joined the dinner.

Top authors including Boris Akunin, Lynda La Plante, Ian Rankin and Jeffrey Deaver joined in the fun to unravel the crime and declare ’whodunnit’, in a tale of ‘Murder in the Desert’ enacted by the Dubai Drama Group.

The event was just one of more than 200 sessions which is being held as part of the Emirates Airline Festival of Literature from 5-9 March 2013 at the Intercontinental Dubai Festival City. For programme timings, information and tickets visit www.emirateslitfest.com

The Festival is held under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, UAE Vice-President & Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, and in partnership with Emirates Airline and the Dubai Culture & Arts Authority (Dubai Culture), the Emirate’s dedicated Authority for culture, arts and heritage.

The eagerly anticipated results of the innovative Montegrappa First Fiction Adult writing competition were announced today at the Emirates Airline Festival of Literature 2013. The announcement of the three winners was made at the ‘How to Get Published’ session devoted to helping aspiring novelists, by leading UK Literary Agent Luigi Bonomi and Charles Nahhas, Managing Director of competition sponsor Montegrappa Middle East.

The overall winner is long term Dubai resident Annabel Kantaria, with her synopsis entitled The Marmalade Murders, an 80,000 word Romantic Mystery. She has won a trip to the three day London Book Fair 2013, with flights courtesy of Emirates and accommodation from Intercontinental Hotels. During the London Book Fair she will enjoy lunch and the chance to discuss her writing with Luigi Bonomi. In addition all the winners received a selection of prizes, including a copy of the Writers’ and Artists’ Yearbook and all three were presented with a unique Montegrappa writing instrument, engraved with their name.

Kantaria, who did not know she had won the competition until the moment her name was called at the event, said, ’I am stunned, overjoyed and honoured because I know Dubai is home to a lot of good writing talent.

'Being an author is a dream I've chased since I wrote my first short story aged six. I grew up writing stories - and to date I dream of doing nothing but writing novels. I can't tell you how many first drafts of novels are gathering dust in my bottom drawer and clogging up my hard drive. To have my pitch read by LBA Agency was a fantastic opportunity. For me, winning any prize would have been a wonderful confidence boost and a fantastic start getting my career as an author on track. Just to receive any sort of accolade or advice from Luigi Bonomi is a dream come true.’

In second place is Rachel Hamilton with The Case of the Exploding Portaloo: An Investigation by Know-All Hawkins, Aged 12. Rachel describes her 46,000 word novel as suitable for Middle Readers aged 9-12. In third place is Linda C. MacConnell with The Crossroads of Dreams which is literary fiction and runs to 76.000 words.

The competition attracted 75 entries, a remarkable number for the inaugural year of the competition which ran between October and January. Open exclusively to UAE residents over the age of 21 years who have never had a novel published, entrants to the Montegrappa First Fiction competition sent in a 400 word synopsis and first five pages of their fiction manuscript to the Festival. All entries were then read and evaluated by top UK Literary Agent Luigi Bonomi.

Luigi Bonomi is one of the UK’s top literary agents and has launched the careers of many bestselling authors. He is the founder of Luigi Bonomi Associates (LBA), which represents a variety of authors, journalists and writers, including John Humphrys, Esther Rantzen and Alan Titchmarsh. In addition to his day job, he is Honorary Professor of Creative Writing at Aberystwyth University and Literary Consultant for the Sunday Times Oxford University Literary Festival. In 2010 he won the Bookseller Industry Award for Literary Agent of the Year. He devised the competition as well as his sell-out Quick Pitch workshops for the 2013, following his participation at the 2012 Emirates Airline Festival of Literature when his How to Get Published Workshops were instant sell-outs.

Speaking at the event Bonomi said, ‘I have very much enjoyed judging the inaugural Emirates First Novel Fiction competition – something that I hope will become a regular feature at this fantastic literary festival.

‘We had just over 75 entries and it was fascinating to see the very broad range of subject matters that were covered. Being one of the world’s most cosmopolitan and international of cities, it was inevitable that many of the fiction entries were centred on the melting pot nature of the place. So we have international bankers up to no good, and oil dealers mixing with star crossed lovers, but we also had a large number of entries aimed at young adults – adventure stories with fantastical elements; lyrical tales where animals spoke and had adventures of their own!

‘In judging the competition, I was mindful of just how difficult the publishing landscape is today and how publishers and readers are looking for original storylines – novels that can stand out. In judging the winners one has to balance original storylines with the quality of the writing – some novels were very well written but not original enough while others were not so well written yet had very original storylines; all of this had to be balanced to ensure that in the end the stories that were chosen would be those that stood the best chance of being looked at by publishers.’

In the end the top three winners were exactly the types of stories that would excite the appetite of any agent’ he concluded.

Montegrappa is Italy's oldest manufacturer of luxury writing instruments. Operating since 1912 in the same historic building, Montegrappa produces hand crafted works of art that celebrate mankind's mastery of the written word.

Charles Nahhas, Managing Director of Montegrappa Middle East said that the company was delighted to be involved with the Festival and particularly in championing new writers: 'Being makers of the world's most exclusive writing instruments isn't only about making beautiful pens. It is also about celebrating mankind's mastery of the written word. Any initiative that encourages writing is to be applauded, and this competition is a wonderful way to discover and encourage our new, talented novelists and give them that much needed first exposure to the literary world.'

Commenting on the competition, Festival Director Isobel said: ‘The point of this competition was to give a boost to the literary scene in the Emirates and find a way to encourage and nurture talent. We are delighted with the number and quality of entrants and look forward to many years of this wonderful showcase for new talent. We must thank Emirates and InterContinental Hotels for their generosity. We owe an enormous debt of gratitude to Luigi Bonomi, whose brainchild this was and who has devoted so much of his time to evaluating the work and is here with us in Dubai to give his invaluable feedback. And of course we are hugely appreciative for the support of Montegrappa who have embraced the spirit and values of the Festival so enthusiastically and sensitively. Last but certainly not least, we are hugely appreciative to all of the writers who took part, and hope they will keep writing,’ she concluded.

The Emirates Airline Festival of Literature 2013 is taking place at the Intercontinental Dubai Festival City through Saturday 9 March under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, UAE Vice-President & Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, and in partnership with Emirates Airline and the Dubai Culture & Arts Authority (Dubai Culture), the Emirate’s dedicated Authority for culture, arts, and heritage. Tickets and information are on line at www.emirateslitfest.com and at the box office in the venue.

FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT

The Emirates Airline Festival of Literature

Hiba Kunil, Public Relations Manager
Tel: +971 (04) 353 4002 ext 204
hiba.kunil@emirateslitfest.com

Christina Bruce, Head of Strategy and Communications
Tel.: +971 (04) 353 4002 ext 207
christina.bruce@emirateslitfest.com

Ketchum-Raad

Feras Saleh
Feras.salah@ketchum-raad.com

Abir Ben Bechir
Abir.ben-bechir@ketchum-raad.com

Notes to Editors

About the Emirates Airline Festival of Literature

The Emirates Airline Festival of Literature is the Middle East’s largest celebration of the written and spoken word, bringing people of all ages and backgrounds together with authors from across the world to promote education, debate and above all else, love of reading and writing.

The Festival creates a wonderful opportunity for UAE nationals, residents and visitors to meet world famous authors, attend literary debates, listen to readings, participate in workshops and experience the exciting fringe and children’s events. With simultaneous translation between Arabic and English for all sessions, the Festival is a meeting of minds where ideas are shared and friendships are formed – not least among the authors themselves.

The 2013 Festival which has become an eagerly anticipated annual event will welcome more than 120 writers, thinkers and speakers from 30 countries. It is expected that 30,000+ visitors will attend the Festival which will have over 200 one-off sessions and unique events to be experienced and enjoyed in a programme that has been designed for wide appeal, with something to suit every taste.

The 2013 Festival will be held March 5-9, 2013 at The Intercontinental Hotel, Dubai Festival City under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, UAE Vice-President & Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, and in partnership with Emirates airline and the Dubai Culture & Arts Authority (Dubai Culture), the emirate’s dedicated Authority for culture, arts, and heritage.

The LitFest also hosts a regular series of literary events during the winter months (October-April) at its home – Dar Al Adaab (House of Literature) in Al Fahidi Historic Area under the banner The Dar Al Adaab Open Door Series.

About Montegrappa

Montegrappa, Italy's oldest manufacturer of luxury writing instruments, was founded in 1912 and operates, to this day, from the same historic building at the foot of the Monte Grappa mountain in North East Italy where Italians heroically defended their country during two world wars.

Today, Montegrappa continues a long tradition of craftsmanship in producing exquisite hand-made masterpieces that celebrate mankind's mastery of the written word. Appreciated by pen collectors, writers, statesmen and celebrities, as well as anyone with an appreciation of the finer things in life, Montegrappa's products embody the pride, passion, and style that make up the 'soul of Italy'.

For more information visit www.montegrappa.com or email press@montegrappa.com.

Literacy and publishing pioneer also takes part in dedicated Ladies' Morning programme

Her Excellency Sheikha Bodour bint Sultan Al Qasimi, Founder and CEO of Kalimat publishing house and a tireless promoter of literature and literacy, was today the recipient of the Emirates Airline Festival of Literature 2013 Personality of the Year Award. The Award was presented to Her Excellency by Festival Director, Isobel Abulhoul OBE, at a ceremony held at the Festival this morning.

Speaking about the award, HE Sheikha Bodour Al Qasimi said, 'I am extremely honoured to be receiving this award here today. I believe strongly in the importance of a culture of reading, supported by a healthy and thriving publishing industry, as a cornerstone of any developed and progressive society, and it is a great privilege to be recognised for my passion in this regard. I want to thank my colleagues and counterparts for their continued support, which has been instrumental in turning so many of our visions into reality. This award serves to only further deepen my commitment to contribute to the development of the industry in the Emirates and the region in every way possible.'

Isobel Abulhoul said: 'I am delighted that the Festival can honour this extraordinary person, who is working so tirelessly to enhance the literary and cultural fabric of the United Arab Emirates. HE Sheikha Bodour bint Sultan Al Qasimi has achieved so much in the fields of culture, women’s welfare and children’s literature. She is a wonderful role model to our new generations.'

'It is perhaps particularly fitting to present Her Excellency with this special award today which is of course World Book Day and the eve of International Women’s Day. We are celebrating all of these milestones with our very first Ladies Morning during which we have connected hundreds of female students and women from the community with our amazing female writers and speakers,' Abulhoul continued.

'We have also just completed a wonderful event which showcased the writing and illustrating talents of young women from the Dubai Women’s Campus, Higher Colleges of Technology. It has been a great inspiration for us all to have Sheikha Bodour with us and we are honoured to present her with this Award. True to form, she came here this morning to make a contribution and take part. Her session is sure to be a highlight not only of the morning but of the whole Festival,' Abulhoul concluded.

After receiving the Award, Sheikha Bodour joined a special Panel of Literary Experts in an open discussion entitled: ‘Love Reading, Love Writing - Encouraging Children’s Literacy’. The Panel brought Sheikha Bodour together with Taghreed Najjar, author and publisher for young children; Maya Mazloum, educator and Head of Academic Studies at Eton Institute; and Micheline Habib, writer, educator and literacy advocate and was chaired by Fatma Al Marri, CEO Dubai Schools Agency, KHDA. The Panel’s goal was to help mothers and educators to learn the best ways to encourage children to read for enjoyment and to develop a delight in creating their own stories.

Sheikha Bodour bint Sultan Al Qasimi founded Kalimat, a book publishing house that specialises in publishing quality Arabic children’s books, in 2007. The venture has been hugely successful and has produced over 120 publications in the last five years, many of which have won prestigious regional and international literature prizes. Kalimat, named Sharjah International Book Fair’s Publisher of the Year in 2012, has also sold the translation and publishing rights to a number of its books to Italian, Swedish, Turkish, English, Hungarian, Australian and Canadian publishers.

However, Kalimat does not represent Sheikha Bodour Al Qasimi’s only involvement in the publishing industry as she is the President of the Emirates Publishers Association, which has been awarded in 2012 full membership of the International Publishers Association (IPA). She also serves as the Honorary President of the UAE Board on Books for Young People (UAEBBY), the national section of the International Board on Books for Young People (IBBY), which is a non-profit organization that represents an international network of people from all over the world who are committed to bringing books and children together.

In addition, Sheikha Bodour Al Qasimi is Head of the Organising Committee of Knowledge Without Borders, an initiative launched by HH Sheikh Dr Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Member of the Supreme Council and Ruler of Sharjah, with the three-fold aim of establishing a library in every house in the Emirate, spreading general knowledge and awareness of the importance of reading in the development of societies, and contributing to creating an educated generation.

To honour her commitment to and involvement in developing the book and publishing sector, as well as children's culture and culture in general in the UAE and the region, Sheikha Bodour Al Qasimi was presented with the Emirates Women of the Year Award in 2012.

Away from publishing Sheikha Bodour Al Qasimi stands as Vice President of the Sharjah Ladies Club, a combination leisure facility and community body committed to the intellectual and social development of Sharjah’s women and children.

Sheikha Bodour Al Qasimi holds a BA (Hons) from Cambridge, an MSc in Medical Anthropology from University College London, and has successfully completed Yale publishing course and the Columbia publishing course. In 2011, Sheikha Bodour won the British Council Award for the most successful young publishing entrepreneur, and is a married mother of three children.

The Personality of the Year Award is given annually 'in recognition of a major contribution toward fostering literacy, education and love of literature in all its forms.' Last year it went to HH Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed, Chairman of Emirates Airline, and the Award was previously given to leading businessman and humanitarian, Juma Al Majid.

The Emirates Airline Festival of Literature is currently taking place at the Intercontinental Hotel Dubai Festival City through Saturday 9 March 2013. This year the LitFest will welcome more than 120 authors to meet 30,000 visitors at 200 events. There are many sessions dedicated to children and the Festival includes a significant education strand that reaches many thousands of young people.

The Ladies' Morning, an innovation for this, the fifth Anniversary edition of the Festival, focused on female authors and topics. The Morning featured a number of sessions and discussions as well as the launch of four children’s books written and illustrated entirely by students from Dubai Women’s College selected by the LitFest and Dubai Airports to be the first books published by the Festival. It concluded with a visit to the Emirates NBD Pearl Museum and a celebratory lunch prepared by acclaimed chef Anissa Helou.

All information about the Emirates Airline Festival of Literature is available online at www.emirateslitfest.com. It is held under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, UAE Vice-President & Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, and in partnership with Emirates Airline and the Dubai Culture & Arts Authority (Dubai Culture), the Emirate’s dedicated Authority for culture, arts, and heritage.

ENDS

FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT:

The Emirates Airline Festival of Literature

Hiba Kunil, Public Relations Manager
Tel: +971 (04) 353 4002 ext 204
hiba.kunil@emirateslitfest.com

Christina Bruce, Head of Strategy and Communications
Tel.: +971 (04) 353 4002 ext 207
christina.bruce@emirateslitfest.com

Ketchum-Raad

Feras Saleh
Feras.salah@ketchum-raad.com

Abir Ben Bechir
Abir.ben-bechir@ketchum-raad.com

Notes to Editors

About the Emirates Airline Festival of Literature

The Emirates Airline Festival of Literature is the Middle East’s largest celebration of the written and spoken word, bringing people of all ages and backgrounds together with authors from across the world to promote education, debate and above all else, love of reading and writing.

The Festival creates a wonderful opportunity for UAE nationals, residents and visitors to meet world famous authors, attend literary debates, listen to readings, participate in workshops and experience the exciting fringe and children’s events. With simultaneous translation between Arabic and English for all sessions, the Festival is a meeting of minds where ideas are shared and friendships are formed – not least among the authors themselves.

The 2013 Festival which has become an eagerly anticipated annual event will welcome more than 120 writers, thinkers and speakers from 30 countries. It is expected that 30,000+ visitors will attend the Festival which will have over 200 one-off sessions and unique events to be experienced and enjoyed in a programme that has been designed for wide appeal, with something to suit every taste.

The 2013 Festival will be held March 5-9, 2013 at The Intercontinental Hotel, Dubai Festival City under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, UAE Vice-President & Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, and in partnership with Emirates airline and the Dubai Culture & Arts Authority (Dubai Culture), the emirate’s dedicated Authority for culture, arts, and heritage.

The LitFest also hosts a regular series of literary events during the winter months (October-April) at its home – Dar Al Adaab (House of Literature) in Al Fahidi Historic Area under the banner The Dar Al Adaab Open Door Series.

About Kalimat

Kalimat is the first publishing house in the UAE dedicated solely to publishing and distributing high quality Arabic books for children aged 0 to 16 years. With over 120 publications to its credit since inception five years ago, Kalimat focuses on producing books that the children of the UAE and the region can relate to, with vibrant illustrations and stories that talk about the value of family, relationships, simplicity, and happiness.

With a portfolio of internationally acclaimed authors and illustrators, Kalimat's extensive range of books highlights traditional Arabic culture alongside the modern challenges faced by today's children, with the aim of imparting a life-long love of reading and Arabic literature to Arab children.

The Emirates Airline Festival of Literature and Dubai Airports, who again this year are prominent supporter and participant at the Fifth Emirates LitFest, helped launch two books in Arabic and English for local writers and illustrator of the Dubai Women’s College. The books, titled I Don’t Want to Shower and Mahra’s Magical Tree, will be officially launched on Thursday at one of the sessions of the special Ladies' Morning session by Jordanian writer, publisher and advocate for literacy Taghreed Najjar and Saudi-based publisher and founder of Buzoor bookshop Zeyna Al-Jabri.

Commenting at the launch, Isobel Abulhoul, Festival Director, Emirates LitFest said, 'I am delighted to secure sponsorship and launch two titles (but four actual books) for the students of Dubai Woman’s College. The writing and illustration of the books is so beautifully presented and I am very proud to be able to help these young budding writers see their hard-work in print.'

In addition to supporting the Emirati Writers Strand’s packed programme, Dubai Airports this year sponsored local authors Fatma Ibrahim, Hamda Al Bastaki, Reem Ahli and Fatema Al Kamali and illustrator Wafa Al Marzougi in publishing their books in both Arabic and English. About 4,000 copies will be distributed to local schools. Anita Mehra, Vice President Marketing and Corporate Communications, described Dubai Airports’ association with the Emirates Airline Festival of Literature as a progression of the company’s commitment to promoting global cultural understanding through literature, as well as its efforts to highlight the Emirati culture by enabling exposure for budding and established UAE national authors.

'Dubai Airports plays an increasingly important and positive role in the emirate’s cultural and creative life. We are proud to have been able to extend our support of the Emirati Writers Strand with the publishing of these books which we believe will encourage young children’s appreciation of the written word from an early age,' Mehra said.

About the books

I Don’t Want to Shower

As part of their coursework on Graphic Design, local Emirati students from HCT – Dubai, Women’s Campus Applied Communications department, were asked by the Program Leader, Margo Tummel, to write and illustrate a children’s book. It was the perfect vehicle to utilise the creative writing, design and illustrative skills of the Applied Communication students.

One of the main criteria for the Graphic Design students was that all illustrations had to be created without the use of computer software. This proved very daunting and challenging for many, as their art education was limited. However, once given the opportunity, their imagination and personal talents shone through with the creation of images that are both appealing to children of a young age and clearly complemented their storylines.

All in all, the project created great learning opportunities in building team work practices, time management, creativity and professionalism.

Mahra’s Magic Tree

As part of their coursework on early childhood literature, local Emirati student teachers from Dubai Women’s College on the Bachelor of Education, Early Childhood Education program were asked by the Program Leader, Sean Ingoldsby, to produce a culturally appropriate story book that would appeal to young learners (3-6 years) in both Arabic and English. As an extension of this activity they were also charged with the task of creating an accompanying story sack and an interactive dual language e-Book.

In order to do this they first needed to research the type and range of story books that young children enjoyed. They visited both local and private schools in Dubai, talked to teachers, parents and children and identified the key characteristics of a range of popular children’s story books including the genre, language and style of illustrations and text type used, and used this information to create their own story books. They then trialled draft versions of their books, story sacks and E-books in local and private schools and sought advice and feedback from teachers, parents and children to create the final versions, which we are proud to present to you.

About the Authors

Fatema Al Kamali graduated from Higher Colleges of Technology, Dubai Women’s Campus with a  degree in Applied Communications.  Continuing with her studies, Fatema is  now pursuing her Master's at Zayed University, Abu Dhabi, majoring in Museum Studies.
Fatema has a keen interest in film and produced some short movies during her undergraduate days as part of a team, some  of which were showcased at  regional film festivals.

One of Fatema’s favourite projects, however, was the creation of a children’s picture book. This was a joint effort with two other students.
This project has had a very successful outcome: the picture book I Don’t Want to Shower will be launched at the Emirates Airline Festival of Literature and Fatema and her co-authors and illustrator will be talking about their pride and excitement in seeing their work in print and available for many children to enjoy.

Wafa Al Marzouqi is an Emarati character designer and one of the leading illustrators in the GGC and UAE. Wafa has showcased her artwork in a number of exhibitions, including her most successful solo exhibition, Bidaya, which took place at Dubai Mall last year under the  Patronage of H.H. Sheikh Mansoor bin Mohammed Al Maktoum. Wafa has recently established her character design and production firm Wafa Production working on creative projects and producing  merchandise and various products. Wafa illustrated Mahra's Magical Tree whilst a student at Dubai Women's Campus, Higher Colleges of Technology.

Fatima Ibrahim Saleh is in her mid-twenties and is the mother of three young children. Fatima graduated from the Higher Colleges of Technology, Dubai Women's Campus, in Early Childhood Education and is  currently working as a kindergarten teacher.

Writing her first book, Mahra's Magical Tree, was one of the highlights of her student years. Fatima has been able to see during her time as a teacher how much children enjoy picture books and is looking forward using her own book in school.

Hamda AlBastaki was born in 1990 in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. She received her college education at Dubai Women's College, where she studied Applied Communications. Hamda directed the movie El Laileh, which was part of Cannes Film Festival, Beirut International Film Festival, and Gulf Film Festival. She is also the co-author of I Don't Want to Shower, her first children's book.

ENDS