Emirates LitFest 2022 in Dubai honours new writing talents

Emirates LitFest 2022 in Dubai honours new writing talents

Dubai: Winners of the ‘Oxford University Press (OUP) Story Writing Competition’ and the inaugural recipients of ‘First Chapter, the ELF Seddiqi Writers’ Fellowship’ were announced on Saturday at the ongoing Emirates Airline Festival of Literature in Dubai. This year, OUP Story Writing Competition received entries from more than 3,700 students from across the UAE. The annual competition for the next generation of writers was divided into age-specific categories: 11 and under, 12-14, 15-17 and 18-25 years old. The competition ran in Arabic and in English. Students were invited to write their stories under this year’s festival theme ‘Here Comes the Sun’. Jennifer Duggan from Oxford University Press said: “Looking forward to a brighter tomorrow was the perfect sentiment for this year’s competition, beautifully encapsulated by the phrase ‘Here Comes the Sun’. “We were uplifted by the many ‘feel good’ variations on the theme, capturing the imaginations of the students who entered. We are proud to give our continued support to young writers through this competition and we hope it leads to many of them continuing to write in the years to come.” 11 and under: (1st) Lila Jones from Jebel Ali School, Dubai; (2nd) Siya Menon from Our Own English