The Lit Fest: 'A Wonderful Opportunity' for You and Your Children

The Lit Fest is back this week.

So why should I give up a lie-in, brunch, 'mooching-around-at-home-doing-nothing' to go to a literary festival, you ask?

The buzz and activity surrounding the sessions and the activities, is enjoyable in itself, but if you look at the list of contributors, you may find familiar names whose work you have come across before. It is quite a special experience attending a talk by authors whose work you know.

Their personalities, opinions and anecdotes add further insight into the works you have read, giving them a new dimension, perhaps deepening your understanding. At the very least it is an enjoyable hour spent in the company of some of the best known ‘minds of our times’.

Even if you do not know any of the contributors, the diversity of the topics on offer at the festival is likely to have something of interest for everyone, from art or poetry to cookery and politics. Intelligent people in debate is edifying, as well as entertaining, and most sessions end with questions from the audience, so you may get a chance to have the author’s view on something of concern to you personally. This really is a unique opportunity.

At times the most memorable sessions are offered by contributors you may never have heard of. The Literary Festival is certainly a place to broaden your horizons and get to know and understand a wide range of topics and issues. Contributors come from all over the world. All sessions are accessible in English and Arabic. Translators are on hand to make sure no one has to miss out on what would be of interest.

The Emirates Airline Festival of Literature started as an idea a mere 7 years ago. It has now grown to be among the best known literary festivals of our times; certainly the biggest in the Middle East.

We are tremendously fortunate to have such a cultural event on our doorstep, with so much to offer for bookworms, would-be bookworms and everyone in-between. The atmosphere is infused with culture, learning and debate. If you are in the throes of enticing your children into embracing literacy more, there is no better event for you.

It is virtually impossible to stay immune to the excitement and activity. Children and adults get caught up and swept along on the tide of curiosity and discussion. Often, after an entertaining session by an author, children rush to the bookshop area to buy all the books the author has written. Books by the presenting authors are offered for sale in the lobby on the ground floor, so if something catches your eye, you have not got far to go.

Author signing is an additional treat: having your personal copy signed by the author makes the book something of a personal treasure. You might ask to have your picture taken with the author as well.

The programme for the children is strong, with authors likely to entertain children of various age groups above the age of 4-5. Some of the indisputable greats in current children’s literature are represented, with Michael Morpurgo, Michael Foreman and Julia Donaldson among many, many more attending just this year. It truly is a coming together of the greats and your children will relish it! These people understand and know children, their way of thinking and will entertain and enthral. This could be the spark some children need to set them off on a course of reading – an impossible looking challenge when faced with competition from electronic games. Is it not worth giving it a try? Immerse them in the buzz and excitement of meeting the authors of their books; who knows what will happen?

Apart from the books and the sessions by authors, there are fringe events for all the family to enjoy, including art, music, dancing and a broad range of family-friendly offerings in a cultural and educational atmosphere. The venue offers outdoor opportunities as well to relax with a drink or coffee in between the sessions. Look in, come and judge for yourself.

The Emirates Airline Festival of Literature is taking place from March 3 to March 7 at the InterContinental Hotel, Dubai Festival City.

Agnes Holly, BA English and German; MA Comparative Literature; Hornsby Dipl Special Educational Needs. Agnes has more than 25 years' teaching experience in various roles ranging from university to nursery teaching, in addition to on-going work bringing up 5 children. She and her family are huge fans of the Lit Fest.