While the 14th edition of the Emirates Airline Festival of Literature drew to a close on Sunday, the Emirates Literature Foundation is continuing with championing literature from and across the Middle East.
The Foundation launched its own publishing house, ELF Publishing, in early January and will be accepting fiction manuscripts from authors in the region starting March as part of their vision to promote voices from the region.
This emphasis was evident during the festival’s opening ceremony on February 3, which highlighted Emirati writers and included Omar Saif Ghobash in a conversation on his life and work, a panel of Emirati readings with authors Ibrahim Ali Khadim, Nadia Alnajjar, and Salha Obaid and an interview with Khalaf Ahmad Al Habtoor.
In a wide-reaching interview with Arabian Business, founder, CEO and Trustee of the Emirates Literature Foundation Isobel Abulhoul talks about the new publishing house and what it will contribute to the UAE’ literature ecosystem as well as the positive impact the coronavirus pandemic has had on reading.
What motivated the Emirates Literature Foundation to launch a publishing house?
ELF Publishing is the next piece of the jigsaw puzzle of the entire ecosystem of literature. We think it is time that the world of publishing gave more attention internationally to the stories coming out of this region and our aim is to shine a spotlight on the talent that flourishes here. We want to find the undiscovered stories that deserve to be read in today’s ever-changing world, whether from Emiratis or expats.
What will it add to the region’s literature ecosystem?
There are many publishers in the region, but we feel there was still a gap to be filled for a traditional publisher of high-quality fiction. We will be selecting the stories that we believe deserve to be read, operating in the traditional way, with books chosen on merit.
As so many other forms of entertainment compete for our attention, do you think there is still room for reading and the enjoyment of literature among the region’s adults?
We all love stories, but sometimes we need to be reminded of the joy that is to be found between the covers of a book. Since the start of the pandemic, we have seen people turn to books for information, for understanding and for escape globally.
We recently commissioned a Mapper360 study from our Insights Partner Four MENA, which showed that while the conversation online about reading and books had grown by 3 percent globally, in the UAE it grew by 7 percent. This confirms what we know to be true from speaking to our audiences and our community; there is a growing appetite for stories, books, and literary experiences.
How does the Emirates Lit Festival contribute to growing readers in the region?
Many of our initiatives are regional, including several of our competitions. With our digital pass we also reached a wider audience than ever, and last year a dedicated creative partnership link enabled creative professionals from as far afield as Algeria, Bahrain, Kuwait, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Morocco, Jordan, and the USA to view the sessions.
We must also acknowledge the value of bringing our regional authors together with their international peers on panels and sessions at the festival. We know this has sparked new friendships as well as inspired our authors, whether local, regional and international.
What more could be done to support literature in the UAE/Middle East?
There is always more to do. If you are an individual, you can buy and read the books by your locally based authors. Attend their events, and bring your family and friends.
Organisations wanting to support literature in the Middle East can do so in many ways. Consider donating to your local literary organisations, create team book clubs, allow team members to volunteer at literary events and invite authors for paid speaking engagements as part of their CSR programmes. With the support of our sponsors, we run several competitions and initiatives that help us reach students and adults and spread the love of reading and writing.
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