Emirates helped literature buffs take journeys of a different type, as they pondered the infinite possibilities of changing the past, or the future, through time travel. The airline hosted an intimate satellite session with celebrated author Toshikazu Kawaguchi during the first weekend of the Emirates Airline Festival of Literature at its Expo 2020 Dubai pavilion.  

The session at the Emirates Expo Dubai 2020 pavilion is another way the airline is providing unique opportunities for literary lovers at the Literature Festival to connect with diverse authors, spark discussion, as well as nurture vibrant exchanges through the power of storytelling.

Kawaguchi, known world-wide for his award-winning play turned bestseller, Before the Coffee Gets Cold, shared his thoughts with the audience at the Emirates pavilion on what he would change, and the people he wants to meet along the way, if he could travel back in time, reiterating that no matter whether one returns to the past or travels in the future – the present will always stay the same, and change starts in ourselves.

After the session, Kawaguchi toured the Emirates pavilion for another dose of time travel – this time 50 years into the future for a glimpse into how commercial aviation will evolve in 2071. The author explored concepts like sustainable propulsion systems, experimented with airframes made of advanced composites, and veered into the ultra-modern cabins of the future. Kawaguchi also toured the Japan pavilion at Expo 2020 Dubai.

Toshikazu Kawaguchi said: “When I started creating stories, I hoped that the stories I created would reach the hearts and minds of people living 30 years from then. I also hoped that the stories I created would reach not only to Japanese people but also people around the world. Now, I am very happy to be invited to Dubai by the Emirates Airline Festival of Literature to participate in the World Expo in Dubai, where people from all over the world gather. As a novelist, I am happy to have created this work and that it has reached the hearts of the Arab world. It was a great encouragement to me.”

Emirates has been the title sponsor of the Emirates Airline Festival of Literature since its inception back in 2009, and through its steadfast and strategic support, the event has grown to become one of the most popular on Dubai’s event calendar, and one of the most sought after on the global literary stage. The Festival has helped the airline to create opportunities that enhance the vibrancy of Dubai as a cultural hub, and foster greater cultural understanding.

Since 2009, Emirates has carried close to 1,400 authors from over 70 countries, enabling the festival to showcase a diverse line-up of inspiring talks, sessions, workshops and performances featuring some of the best authors, thinkers, writers and performers from around the world.