Abu Dhabi – September 2026: Writer and media professional Ahmed Jamal Almajayda has launched his debut novel, Cuba Café, during the Abu Dhabi International Book Fair 2026 at ADNEC Centre Abu Dhabi, in the presence of colleagues, influencers, and members of the cultural and literary community.
Cuba Café is a poignant story about youthful recklessness, friendship, and the consequences of the choices we make. Blending fiction with real-life experiences, the novel explores how the people we surround ourselves with can shape our lives, and how a single decision can lead us down a very different path.
At the heart of the story is Cuba Café, a place where friendship, laughter, and secrets bring a group of young people together. As their relationships evolve, the protagonist finds himself caught between loyalty and fear, belonging and self-destruction, and truth and silence. When old memories and secrets resurface, he is forced to confront the person he might have become, and how close he came to losing everything.
The novel is rooted in a question that inspired Almajayda’s writing: What would life have looked like if a different, darker path had been chosen? Through emotional honesty and psychological depth, Cuba Café invites readers to reflect on friendship, regret, personal choices, and the paths that shape our lives.
Ahmed Jamal Almajayda is a writer and media professional currently serving as a Senior Media and Communications Specialist at Zayed University. He previously worked as a Media Specialist and Content Editor at the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation. He began his career in journalism and news writing, with his work published across a range of English- and Arabic-language media outlets, including Khaleej Times, Al-Quds Al-Arabi, Al Khaleej, and Okaz. He also participated in the UAE’s first Government Accelerators programme in 2016. Throughout his professional career, he has received several awards and recognitions, including first place in the Ministry of Labour Quality Competition in 2015, third place in the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation Smart Services and Applications Award in 2016, and the Longstanding Mentor Award as part of Zayed University’s Partner Challenge Program in 2023.
