Free the Word! 2011 Festival of World Literature

Now in its fourth year, PEN’s Free the Word! festival of world literature is set to take London on a global journey of words through conversations with the great writers you know and the great writers you don’t.

Staged by English PEN, International PEN and Free Word, the festival will take place in London at the Free Word Centre in Farringdon between 6th – 10th April 2011.

The theme for this year’s festival is ‘Translating Power’. The programme will explore the power of literature to inform and transform; it will also look at the issues writers regularly come up against that can prevent their work from reaching readers, whether these be political, commercial or linguistic hurdles.

Who? Showcasing the best writing from around the globe, authors confirmed to attend this year include Chinua Achebe (Nigeria/US), Korash Atahan (Uyghurs of China/Germany), Richard Ford (US), James Kelman (Scotland), Rutu Modan (Israel), Natalia Morari (Moldova), Blake Morrison (UK), Leonardo Padura (Cuba), Nawal El Saadawi (Egypt), Adania Shibli (Palestine), Gillian Slovo (South Africa/UK), Jakob Strid (Denmark) Victor Teran (Mexico), Juan Gabriel Vasquez (Colombia) and Derek Walcott (St Lucia).

When? 6 - 10, April 2011

Where? Various venues. Southbank Centre, Southwark Playhouse, Young Vic, Foyles, LSE and the Free Word Centre.

Festival Website? http://www.internationalpen.org.uk/go/literary-events/free-the-word-/free-the-word

Free the Word! London 2011 is supported by the European Culture Programme and the Gulbenkian Foundation. 

 

           

 

Previous Festivals: Geoff Dyer (UK), Juan Gabriel Vasquez (Colombia/Spain), Dominique Manotti (France), Larissa Behrendt (Australia), German Sadulaev (Russia), Gillian Slovo (UK/South Africa), Dubravka Ugresic (Croatia), Gabriel Josipovici (UK), Romesh Gunesekara (Sri Lanka/UK), Margie Orford (South Africa) and Easterine Kire Iralu (Nagaland).

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