At the Sharjah International Book Fair, authors explore how cultural memory continues to shape contemporary Emirati literature

Sharjah, November 15, 2025

At the 44th Sharjah International Book Fair (SIBF 2025), the panel “Tales of the New Generation” brought together Emirati authors Asma Al Hamli and Ahmed Al-Amiri for a wide-ranging conversation on how today’s writers are drawing from heritage while embracing new creative directions.

The discussion opened with both authors reflecting on their literary beginnings and how they see the current wave of Emirati storytelling evolving.

Al Hamli, winner of the Best Emirati Book (First Novel) award at this year’s SIBF for The Sand Tribe, described how her writing has always been rooted in the oral traditions she absorbed from her grandmother. Her fiction blends folklore, myth, and historical research, creating narratives that highlight how the past continues to inform the present.

“I always wanted younger readers to connect with our heritage,” she said. “I use imagination to weave the wisdom of our ancestors into stories filled with suspense, mystery, and emotion. The real challenge is to make heritage speak in today’s language. When approached creatively, it finds new resonance.”

Al-Amiri, the author of seven books across fiction and non-fiction, spoke about the evolution of his voice as a writer. His early novels, including A Beautiful Lie, explored complex social themes in Gulf societies before his work gradually shifted toward broader cultural commentary.

“Practice makes perfect,” he said. “When you keep writing, refining, and learning, creativity opens up in new ways. That consistency is what shapes a professional writer.”

On the growing presence of artificial intelligence in the creative world, Al-Amiri described it as both a tool and a challenge, but one that does not threaten the essence of literature. “AI can process language, but not emotion,” he said. “The depth of feeling and the human struggle will always belong to writers.”

Both authors emphasised the role of family, community, and national identity in shaping artistic ambition. Al-Amiri noted that the UAE’s leadership continues to champion literature and creativity as essential to progress. “We are fortunate to live in a country that values culture and gives the next generation real opportunities to grow,” he said.

For Al Hamli, SIBF played a formative role long before she became an award-winning author. “We used to come by bus every year,” she recalled. “Those visits made me fall in love with books. Being here now as an author feels like completing a circle.”

The session concluded with both panellists sharing words of guidance for young writers. Al-Amiri offered “patience and determination” as the foundation of creative growth, while al hamli encouraged children to “bring the best of you,” urging them to discover their own “pearls” and contribute their voice to the nation’s cultural story.

-ENDS-