Participants were to handwrite the letter using a fountain pen or any other type of ink pen for the contest.

The talk of the town literature festival—the Emirates Airline Festival of Literature commencing on February 3rd has been quite a buzz among the literature aficionados.

Hosting some of the world’s leading literature experts and speakers from different parts of the world and different walks of life on one stage, one of the things that were highlighted at the event was the ‘Craft of fine handwriting’.

Writing is a major part of literature and thus to celebrate fine handwriting, a special ceremony was held at the Emirates Airline Festival of Literature to honour the winners of the Royal Grammar School (RGS) Guildford Dubai Children’s Letter Writing Competition.

The RGS Guildford Dubai Children’s Letter Writing Competition gives young people the chance to show off their letter writing skills. Through the competition, it recognises children’s aesthetics of fine handwriting and the art of composing a well-crafted message.

For the contest, letters were written to an author who had inspired the entrant and were told to keep a focus on this year’s positive theme of the Festival, ‘Here Comes the Sun’.

The contest was divided into two age categories— Primary ages 9 to 13 years and secondary age group 14 to 18 years, wherein participants were told to handwrite the letter using a fountain pen or any other type of ink pen, such as a rollerball or ball-point pen.

“We have been so impressed with the eloquence and elegance of the submissions. A love of reading and writing is one of the most important gifts we can give young people. It has been a joy to be part of the Festival and sponsor this competition. This competition reminds children that letter writing is certainly not a lost art, but a craft to be cherished and admired,” said Clare Turnbull, Principal, RGS Guildford Dubai emphasising the importance of handwriting.