Dubai: Recently published by Al-Mutawassit Publications in Italy is “The Courtyard of Strangers,” a short story collection by Emirati journalist and writer Aisha Sultan. This is her second collection, comprising thirteen stories and an epilogue.

According to National Iraqi News Agency, in this collection, Sultan explores the history of a place through the lives of its inhabitants, capturing the impact of major transformations on small, everyday details. The collection delves into Emirati memory and the social changes the city has undergone, through characters living on the margins and traversing different eras, while the “courtyard” itself holds the stories and secrets of its residents.

Aisha Sultan is an Emirati writer and publisher, born in Dubai. She holds a bachelor’s degree in political science from the United Arab Emirates University and a master’s degree in communication and media studies. She worked as a history and geography teacher between 1984 and 1993 before transitioning to journalism and media.

She headed the cultural section of Al Bayan newspaper between 1997 and 2004, then managed political programs at Dubai TV between 2004 and 2010. Since 1996, she has written her weekly column, “Abjadiyat,” in Al Bayan newspaper. She also served as Vice President of the Board of Directors of the Emirates Writers Union, Vice President of the Emirates Human Rights Association, and was a member of the Board of Directors of the Arab Journalism Award.

Her published works include: “Abjadiyat” (1998), “Winter of Tales” (2012), “In Praise of Memory” (2014), and “Marginalia on Cities, Travel, and Departure” (2015).