Dubai, 20, February 2023: Emirates Literature Foundation celebrated the winners of their new Book in a Box competition at the 15th edition of the Emirates Airline Festival of Literature. The competition, which is sponsored by Arcadia School, invited all primary schools in the UAE to choose a book, or scene from a book, and create a visual representation of it using only recyclable materials.
Book in a Box winners:
1. Pristine Private School, Class 1A. Book: As An Oak Tree Grows by G. Brian Karas
2. United International Private School, Class 1 Lotus. Book: The Library Lion by Michelle Knudsen
3. Pristine Private School, Class 2D. Book: They All Saw A Cat by Brendan Wenzel
Isobel Abulhoul OBE, CEO Emirates Literature Foundation said: “I am a voracious reader and enjoy all genres of books but the magic I find between the covers of a children’s book is unmatched by any other. Successful children’s authors have found the right combination of words and images that ignite a child’s imagination and foster a life-long love of reading. And this competition takes that concept even further, inviting children to select a favourite book, and to dissect it or a scene from it, and collaboratively and in a tactile and environmentally friendly manner create an aesthetic representation of it. The restriction of a simple cardboard shape allows us to judge the children’s entries in an unbiased way and encourages them to think out of the box.”
The competition was launched on 2 January and schools had just over two weeks to conceptualize and execute a literary inspired diorama, documenting the process with photographs and videos. The inaugural cycle of Book in a Box received over 150 entries. 15 entries were shortlisted – 12 of which were inspired by English books and 3 by Arabic books. The final contenders from Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Sharjah were invited to showcase their dioramas at the Emirates LitFest.
The Book in a Box shortlisted entries were assessed by a panel of judges including two representatives from Arcadia School and authors and illustrators, Greg Stobbs, Maitha Al Khayat and Sarah McIntyre. The entries were graded on craftsmanship, originality, collaborative effort by the class, ingenious use of materials intended for waste, and creative portrayal of a whole book or a scene from a book in a single box.
Other initiatives celebrated at the Festival includes the Voices of Future Generations, which launches its third anthology of winning stories; the School Librarian of the Year; OUP Story Writing Competition; RGS Guildford Dubai Children’s Letter Writing Competition; ENBD Poetry For All; Emirates Lit Fest Writing Prize, Chevron Readers’ Cup; and the announcement of the second 10 fellows for the First Chapter: ELF Seddiqi Writers’ Fellowship.
The Emirates Airline Festival of Literature Festival is held with Founding Partners Emirates Airline and the Dubai Culture & Arts Authority (Dubai Culture), the Emirate’s dedicated authority for heritage, arts, and culture. It is held under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the United Arab Emirates and Ruler of Dubai.
More information about the Emirates Literature Foundation can be found online and year-round news of Emirates Lit Fest on LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube. The Foundation also has two podcasts; the Best of the Emirates Lit Fest, and the Boundless Book Club.
ENDS
Notes to editors:
About the Emirates Airline Festival of Literature:
The Emirates Airline Festival of Literature is the Arab World’s largest celebration of the written and spoken word, featuring international and regional writers, poets, thinkers and speakers from around the world. Over the last 14 years more than 1,800 authors from over one hundred countries have spoken at the Festival. In 2022 the Festival reached more than 105,000 people, in person and via live streaming. Sessions included multi-talented top children's author David Walliams, entreprenuer Gary Vaynerchuck, Indra Nooyi ranked amongst the world's 100 most powerful women executives, and Bridgerton author Julia Quinn, and the Education Programme featured children’s favourites Ali Sparkes, Rob Biddulph, Sanaa Chabbani, Gulnar Hajou and Ken Arto.
The aim of the Festival is to develop a culture of reading as an enjoyable habit in the UAE, and its efforts have been recognised through many awards over the years. By providing an equal platform for international and locally based talents, the Festival continues to build the literary landscape in the UAE and further afield. Alongside the main programme, the Festival organises an Education programme, reaching students across the seven emirates of the UAE. There are also student competitions, held in Arabic and English, which allow young people to showcase their skills through poetry, short stories and reading.
Held under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mohammad bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, the Festival is a key part of the Emirates Literature Foundation, which was established in 2013 by Royal Decree. In partnership with Emirates Airline and the Dubai Culture & Arts Authority (Dubai Culture), the Emirate’s dedicated authority for heritage, arts, and culture, the Emirates Airline Festival of Literature will be back in 2023. For information and updates about the Emirates Airline Festival of Literature visit the website:www.emirateslitfest.com
About the Emirates Literature Foundation:
The Emirates Literature Foundation is a not-for-profit organisation which supports and nurtures a love of literature in the United Arab Emirates and the region, through a programme of varied cultural initiatives.
Established in 2013 by Royal Decree issued by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, the Foundation aims to foster a love for literature, with a focus on the Arabic language.
In line with the National Reading Policy of the UAE, the Foundation has implemented several long-term projects including the School Librarian of the Year Award, Kateb Maktub, and From the Inside Out, as well as conducting year-round student education programmes, book clubs and mentorship programmes. The Foundation’s previous initiatives included the 2020 International Literary Festivals Conference, the 2017 Dubai International Publishing Conference and the 2016 Dubai Translation Conference.
The Foundation is also the governing body of the Emirates Airline Festival of Literature, the UAE’s premier literary festival.