An annual highlight in the Dubai cultural calendar, Desert Stanzas is the Festival’s crown jewel. An enchanting evening of poetry and spoken word performed amongst mystical dunes and beneath twinkling stars, this special event showcases what the Festival is all about: gathering to hear stories, to rejoice and exclaim, to marvel at the wonder of words and their astonishing power to connect across time and space our tales of life and soul. We invite you to commune with a stunning line-up of international and local poets - Dr Rafia Ghubash, Aisha Al Saifi, Hala Alyan, Ahmed Bakheet, Dana Dajani, Tjawangwa Dema, Nadia Khawandanah, Grace Nono, Ben Okri, Claudia Rankine and Yang Lian - for this unforgettable night of celebration and rapture. Hosted by Namal Siddiqui.