Rush For Emirates Airline Festival Of Literature Tickets As Session’s Sell-Out
Several events at the Emirates Airline Festival of Literature have sold out, only days after going on general sale and with five weeks until the Festival opens. The first sell-out was the Murder Mystery Dinner, one of the flagship events of the Festival.
This is a professionally orchestrated ’murder’ evening with the special twist that guests have a LitFest 2013 author at their table for dinner and to help solve the mystery. Kathy Shalhoub’s workshop, Finding Your Creative Muse soon followed.
It’s the first workshop, and the first Ladies Morning event, to sell out. This just pipped ’The Quick Pitch’ to the sell-out post. The Quick Pitch is a workshop conducted by top Literary Agent Luigi Bonomi in which attendees get instant feedback on their ideas for a book.
The Festival takes place 5-9 March 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
Commenting on the unprecedented speed of ticket sales in a country where people often prefer to wait until the last minute, Festival Director Isobel Abulhoul said: "Of course all our sessions are live and unique - never to be repeated - and the discerning public of Dubai understands this."
"It seems that the public agrees with organisers that this year’s Emirates Airline Festival of Literature promises to deliver an exceptional celebration of the written and spoken word. We have an exceptional author line-up and an amazing programme of sessions, Masterclasses, workshops, special events and public performances. So it follows that people are responding enthusiastically, snapping up loads of tickets in a very short time."
"Many of our other sessions and special events are reaching sell-out point so I really urge people to buy their tickets now or be disappointed. Once something is gone, it’s gone" she continued.
Perhaps to soften the blow, organisers simultaneously announced the eagerly anticipated news that the Orwell lecture, one of the Festival’s most acclaimed events, will be delivered by Dr Shashi Tharoor on the topic of ’Globalisation, Disruption And The Human Imagination’..
The Orwell Lecture, sponsored by Emirates NBD, commemorates the life and work of British author and social activist, George Orwell. Each year a distinguished speaker responds to this great author and highlights aspects of his writing or his social engagement. Last year a standing room only crowd listened to former UK Cabinet Minister Michael Portillo whose father was a political refugee from the Spanish Civil War.
United Nations peace-keeper, refugee worker, human rights activist, a former Minister of State for External Affairs and now an elected member of the Indian Parliament from the Thiruvananthapuram constituency in Kerala, Dr Shashi Tharoor straddles several worlds of experience. He is considered an expert on India’s recent transformation and future prospects, globalisation, freedom of the press, human rights, literacy, Indian culture, and India’s present and potential influence in world politics. He is the author of thirteen books, as well as hundreds of articles in a wide range of international publications.
His accolades include the Commonwealth Writers’ Prize, the Pravasi Bharatiya Samman, and the Pride of India Award from the Zakir Husain Memorial Foundation. In 2010 he was named Digital Person of the Year at the first-ever Indian Digital Media Awards.
Organisers further confirmed that Dr Tharoor will discuss his latest book, the non- fiction Pax Indica: India & the World of the 21st Century (2012), a study of India’s foreign relations and global strategy.
Dr Tharoor will be in conversation with Anil Dharker, one of India’s best known columnists and writers. His most recent publication is an anthology, Icons: Men & Women Who Shaped Today’s India. Mr Dharker is the Founder and Festival Director of Literature for Live! The Mumbai LitFest, which is Mumbai’s International Literary Festival, now in its fourth year.
Isobel Abulhoul commented, "It is a privilege indeed to have Dr Tharoor take-up the baton of the Orwell Lecture. I know this will be an unforgettable address that will challenge and stimulate the audience. And his session with Anil Dharker will be equally unmissable. Need I remind everyone to get their tickets soon?"
The full author line-up, programme and tickets are available on-line at emirateslitfest.com. Tickets can be purchased in person at Kinokuniya, Dubai Mall 11am -10pm, 7 days a week until 9th March 2013 and Dar Al Adaab, Emirates LitFest offices, Al Fahidi Historic District: 9am-5pm, 5 days a week. The Festival operates a dedicated membership scheme called Festival Friends which offers discounts on tickets as well as benefit packages.
Emirate: Dubai
Date: Jan 28, 2013
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