Dubai, UAE, March 15: The Emirates Literature Foundation Board of Trustees has announced the appointment of Ahlam Bolooki as their new Chief Executive Officer, effective immediately. She takes on the responsibility in addition to her current role as Director, Emirates Airline Festival of Literature and Managing Director, ELF Publishing. Bolooki succeeds Isobel Abulhoul, the founder of the Emirates Literature Foundation. To support the transition, Abulhoul will remain with the Foundation as an advisor and trustee of the board.
“I could not be more grateful to take over the reins as CEO of the Emirates Literature Foundation from Isobel,the opportunity to learn from her over the past four years has been one of the greatest privileges of my life,” says Ahlam Bolooki. “My goal in leading this organisation is to build on the Foundation’s legacy and use it as a stepping stone to reach greater heights of success.Since its incorporation, the Foundation has expanded beyond being an organiser of an annual literary festival to being an integral part of the cultural ecosystem of the UAE with an emphasis on literacy and on promoting local talent on the global stage. I look forward to leading the next chapter in the Foundation’s story.”
Isobel Abulhoul said, “I am delighted to hand over the Foundation to Ahlam’s capable hands. She’s young, she’s passionate and she has proven herself by spearheading new initiatives and projects that feed into the organisation’s strategic growth in a successfully and sustainable manner. As the Foundation enters its second decade, our mission remains the same, to spread the love of reading. Ahlam’s leadership will be instrumental in steering the team forward in this new phase and I will be happy to support in the role of advisor.”
Prior to joining the Emirates Literature Foundation, Ahlam Bolooki was the Head of Regional Campaigns at Dubai Tourism where she was responsible for supporting. His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum’s vision to strengthen Dubai’s position as a world-leading tourism destination. Before that, Ahlam spent over four years working in marketing roles at Jumeirah group where she oversaw all aspects of marketing and communications.
The Emirates Literature Foundation is a not-for-profit organisation which supports and nurtures a love of literature, with a focus on Arabic language, in the United Arab Emirates and the region, through a programme of varied cultural initiatives. The Foundation was 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 and is home to the Emirates Airline Festival of Literature, the Middle East's largest celebration of the written and spoken word, held in partnership with Emirates Airline and the Dubai Culture & Arts Authority.
More information about the Emirates Literature Foundation can be found online. Fans can keep up to date with #ELFDubainews on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, TikTok and LinkedIn.
ENDS
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, GulnarHajou 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.