Dubai:   The winners of First Chapter, the ELF Seddiqi Writers’ Fellowship2023 were announced at a special ceremony at the Emirates Airline Festival of Literature. The ten winners were selected from more than 100 applicants writing in Arabic and Englishby their prospective mentors, internationally published authors, Ali Sparkes, Elnathan John, Greg Mosse,Haji Jabir, Jalal Barjas,Tiffany Murray, Shahad Al- Rawi, YrsaSiggurdottirand Will Eaves. This is the second year that the Fellowship has been open, providing the only global standard mentorship programme in the region for aspiring writers.

The winners are:

Aine O’Connor chosen by Ali Sparkes

Alaa Masrati chosen by Shahad Al Rawi

Aneesha Rai chosen by Tiffany Murray

Avril Erskine and Stacey Siebritz chosen by Greg Mosse

Fatima Ali chosen by Jalal Bargas

Husam Hilali of St. George chosen by Haji Jabir

Magdalena Karolak chosen by Elnathan John

Neha Vinod Menon chosen by Yrsa Siggurdottir

Saba Brelvi chosen by Will Eaves

Sangeetha Sagar chosen by Alwyn Hamilton

“This Fellowship has truly been an amazing experience, not only for the Fellows, but also for those of us involved in organising it. It has been so wonderful to see the change in the writers who started their journey with us this time year, not only in terms of the growth in their writing prowess, but also in the confidence and knowledge that they now have about the industry and the publishing process,” said Ahlam Bolooki, Festival Director of the Emirates Airline Festival of Literature.  “They were all so talented to begin with, but to see them flourish under the tutelage of their mentors has been so satisfying and I know that we are going to be seeing several of them published, with their books on our shelves in the very near future. For those who have just been chosen for the Fellowship, please do make the most of this golden opportunity. We are so grateful to Seddiqi Holding for partnering with us in helping us make it happen and build the reputation of the writing scene in the UAE.”

From the first cohort, Sara Hamdan and Moxie Anderson have already been signed by literary agents Curtis Brown and LBA Associates respectively, and more signings from the remainder of the group are expected to be announced soon.

Them entorship programme was launched last year by the Emirates Literature Foundation in partnership with Seddiqi Holding to   identify and nurture emerging writing talent from the UAE, enabling the successful participants to hone their skills through one-to-one sessions with the authors. 

“Witnessing the evolution and success of the Year 1 Fellows this past year has been a profound experience. Several cohorts have signed with leading literary agents, which truly encapsulates their hard work and dedication. In line with our nation’s goal to promote the growth of the cultural and creative industries, Seddiqi Holding is proud to partner with Emirates Literature Foundation to create a one-of-a-kind programme and platform, that continues to break boundaries and propel aspiring writers while preserving and nurturing regional talent. It is especially thrilling to see an increase in the number of applicants writing in Arabic in Year 2, a true testament to the region’s passion and determination. Our sincere gratitude to the mentors whose expertise and wisdom continue to inspire and cultivate talent. We are certain the cohorts, past, present and future, are on their way to becoming trailblazers in the industry, and we are ecstatic to be on this journey with them.” commented Hind Abdul Hamied Seddiqi, Chief Marketing and Communications Officer, Seddiqi Holding. 

In addition to six hours of one-to-one mentorship from their mentor, the fellow stake part in a regular series of workshops led by resident mentor Annabel Kantaria, along with meetups and talks from authors and experts spanning the whole of the industry and encompassing all stages of writing, publishing and promoting a book. The programme also provides introductions to international agents, editors and publishers and access to short writing classes from international partner writing institutions. Last year’s group also undertook a field trip to Gotham Writers Centre in New York, to take classes and meet New York based agents.

Seddiqi Holding has agreed to partner with the Emirates Literature Foundation for five years, with the aim that the Fellowship will create a notable pool of authors based in the UAE, with audiences all over the world.

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

For more information, please contact: EmiratesLiteratureFoundation@actionprgroup.com

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. 

Seddiqi Holding

Seddiqi Holding was established in 2007 to consolidate the existing businesses belonging to the Seddiqi family into a holding group. As part of a growth strategy, the companies underwent a major restructure that saw the development of a succession plan for future generations and the establishment of an Executive Committee and Board of Directors as the governing bodies for Seddiqi Holding. The group operates a diverse collection of high-performing companies across various sectors. These include Ahmed Seddiqi & Sons, the longest standing and largest business unit within the group; Swiss Watch Services; Seddiqi & Sons Investment which includes Seddiqi Properties and Mizzen.  

Seddiqi Holding is managed by four generations of the Seddiqi family supported by a multinational workforce of over 900 employees. The company’s development is underlined by an ethical approach, built on the foundations laid by the late Ahmed Qassim Seddiqi, its visionary founder, of commitment to family, community and integrity.