Ten UAE writers hand-picked for prestigious ELF Seddiqi Writers’ Fellowship

Dubai, 29 January 2025: This year’s winners of First Chapter, the ELF Seddiqi Writers’ Fellowship, were announced tonight at the Gala Opening ceremony of the Emirates Airline Festival of Literature.  The prestigious mentorship programmecould lead them to winning an international publishing deal.

The fellowship pairs ten winning writers with internationally published authors, providing one-on-one coaching, workshops, and access to publishing industry experts. The winners are selected from nearly 100 applicants writing their first fiction novel in Arabic or English. This is the fellowship’s fourth year, making it the region’s only mentorship program of global standard for aspiring fiction writers.

The authors mentoring the winners this year are Ali Sparkes, Alwyn Hamilton, Annabel Kantaria, Freya North, Greg Mosse, Iman Humaydan, Jalal Barjas, Shahla Ujaily, Sona Charaipotra and Yrsa Siggurdottir.

The winners are:

• Ahlam Jahaf chosen by Jalal Barjas
• Ellie Salkeld chosen by Ali Sparkes
• Habiba Tahir chosen by Yrsa Sigurdottir
• Huda El Waleely chosen by Iman Humaydan
• Rend Beiruti chosen by Freya North
• Sarah Madani chosen by Annabel Kantaria
• Shaikha Al Shamsi chosen by Shahla Al Ujaily
• Shalaka Paradkar chosen by Greg Mosse
• Shyama Krishna Kumar chosen by Alwyn Hamilton
• Shylin Sam chosen by Sona Charaipotra

“This Fellowship is really putting the writing scene in the UAE on the map, attracting the attention of publishers internationally by highlighting the amazing writing talent we have here,” said Ahlam Bolooki CEO of the Emirates Literature Foundation and Festival Director of the Emirates Airline Festival of Literature. “Our talented homegrown writers thrive on this programme, thanks to the incredible authors who dedicate their time to mentor the fellows and provide them with one on one feedback. We are so grateful to Seddiqi Holding for believing in the vision and value of this unique fellowship and partnering with us to make writers’ dreams a reality.”

Two previous graduates of the programme have now won publishing deals.  First year graduate Sara Hamdan won a major two-book deal with US publisher Holt. Her novel, What Will People Think will be published in May 2025. Saba Brelvi, from year two, will have her novel, The Squatters published by The Dial Press, an imprint of Penguin Random House, for distribution in North America. It comes following her signing by New York Literary agent Alexa Stark at the Writers House.

The mentorship programme was launched in 2021 by the Emirates Literature Foundation in partnership with Seddiqi Holding, with the aim that over five years the Fellowship will create a notable pool of authors based in the UAE, with audiences all over the world.

“I am truly amazed at the milestones we have achieved with this Fellowship; it goes to show the immense talent we have in this region, and we are incredibly honoured to provide a platform for talented writers in partnership with Emirates Literature Foundation. As we head into another year, we remain confident this platform will continue to be instrumental for the Fellows and for other aspiring writers in the region,” said 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 fellows take 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. Each year the group undertakes a field trip, with the previous groups visiting the Gotham Writers Centre in New York and the Faber Academy in London to take classes and meet literary agents.

For more information on the Emirates Airline Festival of Literature, visit their website and for the latest updates on the upcoming Festival follow @EmiratesLitFest on Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, Twitter, Youtube and LinkedIn.

Notes to editors:

About the Emirates Airline Festival of Literature:

The Emirates Airline Festival of Literature is one of top ten literary festivals in the world, featuring local, regional and international writers, poets, thinkers, and speakers. Over the last 16 years more than 2000 authors from over one hundred countries have spoken at the Festival. The Festival reached more than 380,000 people, in person and via live streaming. Sessions included Claudia Rankine, Rebecca Yarros, Francesca Cartier Brickell, Ben Okri OBE, Andy Stanton and Toshikazu Kawaguchi. 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 2025. 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 First Chapter, 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 in official relations with UNESCO and is also the governing body of the Emirates Airline Festival of Literature, the UAE’s premier literary festival.

About Seddiqi Holding:

Established in 2007, Seddiqi Holding was established to drive the business’ overarching goal of customer centricity and operational excellence. United by the group’s vision to transform time into cherished moments, Seddiqi Holding operates a diverse range of businesses including Ahmed Seddiqi & Sons, Swiss Watch Services, Mizzen and Seddiqi & Sons Investments which includes Seddiqi Properties, a real estate management entity. Ahmed Seddiqi & Sons is the largest business unit within the group, with over 70 luxury watch and jewellery brands across 50 locations.