Dubai Culture and Arts Authority (Dubai Culture) has announced the 11th edition of its Reading Box initiative, taking place from 19 to 28 October 2026 at City Centre Mirdif. Through a diverse programme of literary and cultural experiences, the initiative aims to strengthen reading as a lifelong habit, encourage knowledge exchange, and inspire children and adults to explore books, ideas and creative expression.
Reading Box reflects Dubai Culture’s commitment to making culture and knowledge accessible across the community and enhancing the role of reading in developing knowledge, creativity and intellectual curiosity. The initiative also supports the Authority’s strategic direction to cultivate an engaged and culturally aware community while reinforcing Dubai’s position as a global cultural reference, pioneering innovation, fuelling the economy and rooted in Emirati heritage.
Held under the umbrella of Dubai Culture’s School of Life initiative, the new edition will feature a wide-ranging programme designed for different age groups and interests. It will include children’s storytelling sessions, interactive activities, panel discussions, dialogue sessions, book signings, and poetry evenings, giving audiences opportunities to engage directly with writers, intellectuals, and creatives.
The programme will welcome a distinguished group of writers and cultural figures, including translator Dr Ghanim Samarrai; writer Eman Al Yousuf; director Nahla Al Fahad; poet Najat Al Dhaheri; theatre practitioner Abdullah Saleh Al Rumaithi; composer and music arranger Khalid bin Khadim; and author Avni Doshi.
Reading Box 2026 will also celebrate the launch of a selection of literary and cultural publications, including Hanan, the Astronaut’s Doctor by Dr Reem Al Gurg; Housh Al Ghurabaa by writer and journalist Ayesha Sultan; Ghubbat Salama by Mariam Al Falasi; 8 Arab Treasures by Noura Al Khoori; Memoirs of Book Days by poet Sheikha Al Mutairi; Indian Vocabulary in Emirati Dialects by poet Dr Aisha Al Ghais; and The Innocence of Ameen the Thief by Ahmed Amiri. The programme will also feature Turbulence by Hafsa Lodi, Where the Sand Never Settles by Dr Ahmed Al Khoori, and Mountain Train by Michele Ziolkowski.
The initiative supports the objectives of the Dubai Quality of Life Strategy 2033 by strengthening the connection between culture, knowledge, and community wellbeing. Through engaging cultural experiences, Reading Box encourages individuals to discover new interests, develop their skills and build a lasting relationship with reading, while opening new avenues for thought, dialogue and creativity. In turn, it helps nurture an informed and engaged community equipped to contribute to Dubai’s continued development.
The 10th edition of Reading Box recorded strong community engagement, attracting more than 1,700 attendees, including around 50 People of Determination. It featured more than 70 sessions for children and adults, five poetry evenings and over 20 book-signing sessions. Nearly 25 publishing houses participated, showcasing around 320 books, while the initiative distributed 1,130 publications. Reading Box also collaborated with more than 15 organisations, further strengthening its role as an interactive cultural platform that brings together readers, writers, publishers and cultural institutions, celebrates literary creativity, and encourages the exchange of ideas and experiences.
2026.10.11 Stockholm
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