Emirates Literature Foundation

The Emirates Literature Foundation, the home of the Emirates Airline Festival of Literature, is a not-for-profit organisation which supports and nurtures literature in the United Arab Emirates and the region through a programme of varied cultural initiatives.

Established in 2013 by royal decree issued by Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the United Arab Emirates and Ruler of Dubai, the Foundation aims to foster a lifelong love of all literature. Recognising the importance of reading from a young age, the Foundation focuses on encouraging children and young people to enjoy reading for pleasure.

As part of its initiatives, the Foundation is implementing a School Librarian of the Year Award, an annual Arabic Language Week, an International Translation Conference and Publishing Conference, as well as year-round School Education Programmes, Book Clubs[1] and Creative Writing Courses. The Foundation also awards a literary personage from the UAE the Personality of the Year Award[2] at the annual Emirates Airline Festival of Literature.

In 2015, the Foundation held a mentorship programme[3] for young Emirati writers writing in English. The winner was given the unique opportunity of being mentored by celebrated author Liz Fenwick.

Three new initiatives were established by the Foundation in 2016 in association with The Executive Council of Dubai - Dubai Translation Conference,[4] the Dubai International Publishing Conference[5] and the School Librarian of the Year Award.[6][7]

The Foundation was awarded the UAE Pioneers Award 2016 for promoting reading initiatives.[8]

In 2016 the Foundation conducted a survey on the UAE's reading habits,[9] the results of which were announced at the Emirates LitFest press conference in February 2017.

The Foundation is also the governing body of the Emirates Airline Festival of Literature, the UAE's premiere literary festival, which will be held from 2–10 March 2018.

References
  1. Khan, Rabab (20 April 2016). "Grandma's stories made her a reader". Retrieved 17 July 2016.
  2. Today, Gulf. "Sheikha Shamma wins Personality of the Year Award at literature fest". gulftoday.ae. Retrieved 17 July 2016.
  3. "Discussing stories over a cup of tea". Gulf News. 2 March 2016. Retrieved 17 July 2016.
  4. "Inaugural Dubai Translation Conference Opens Today with History, Legal, 'Wow Factor' and More". ArabLit.Org.
  5. "First Dubai International Publishing Conference launched". Emirates 247.
  6. "UAE school librarian of the year wins trip to London". Dubai Eye 103.8 FM.
  7. "Award for UAE's top school librarians". Friday Magazine.
  8. "UAE Pioneers 2016 awardees list". Gulf News.
  9. "UAE's Reading Habits survey results". ELFDubai.org.
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