A vivid setting is vital in bringing the past alive. Our panel of Emirati writers discusses how they have drawn on the rich environment of the UAE’s mountains, desert and coastal regions to capture the unique history of the country.Mohammed Al Hebsi is a poet and novelist who won the Emirates Prize for Fiction for his novel The Devil’s Cottage, the story of a widower’s loyalty to his late wife, set in the mountains of the UAE.Nadia Al Najjar’s latest novel focuses on a real disaster in Dubai: the burning and sinking of the Dara ship in 1961, one of the worst drowning disasters of the time.Salha Obaid is an Emirati author of short stories, with four collections published so far. She launches her first historical fiction novel in this session.This panel is moderated by Ibrahim Khadim.Language: Arabic