Georgian poet and performance artist Zurab Rtveliashvili meets writer Carola Hansson to discuss the theme of exile, at Kulturhuset in Stockholm, 24th February at 7 pm. Exile is a reality lived by Rtveliashvili, while Hansson treats the theme in her latest novel "Med et namn som mitt" ("With a name like mine").
"Threatened words" ("Hotade Ord") is a series of literary encounters at Kulturhuset, introducing ICORN Guest Writers living in Sweden.
(Photo: Cato Lein)
Carlos Aguilera (Cuba), Zurab Rtveliashvili (Georgia) and Horacio Castellanos Moya (El Salvador) are all making appearances at the upcoming Book Fair.
The Book Fair is a four day long literary festival. The many stages and over 900 exhibitors' stands host meetings between writers, Nobel Prize winners, publishers and booklovers who explore the power of the written word together.
Spain and Spanish language literature are in focus during the 2009 Book Fair. World-known writers such as Isabel Allende, Bernardo Atxaga, Javier Marías, Rosa Montero and many others will highlight where Spanish and Latin American literature stand today.
First up of the writers with a strong ICORN connection is Rtveliashvili , ICORN Guest Writer in Gothenburg, who performs in a programme Friday Sept 25, at 10 am. Carlos Aguilera appears in a literary encounter open to all Book Fair attendees on Friday Sept 25, at 10.20 am. Finally, Castellanos Moya and his book Senselessness is presented on Friday Sept 25, at 1 pm.
The last programme in the freedom of expression-series at the Nobel Museum in Stockholm dealt with China and the conditions of freedom of expression. Today, 20 years after the Tiananmen Square protests in 1989, China is experiencing a fundamental change in almost every aspect of society. Reports from NGOs and human rights organizations argue that the human rights are among the victims in this process.
Shahrazad had invited the Chinese poet Li Li, who has lived in Sweden since 1988, and Göran Sommardal, poet, sinologist and translator, to talk about what has happened since the Tiananmen massacre. The two poets had a very interesting conversation about the situation in China today and over the last 20 years. They agreed that the Tiananmen Square protests can be seen as "point zero" from many perspectives, and that the freedom of expression in China is not as limited any more.
For example, Göran Sommardal showed a video clip from a Chinese web site, where an 8 year old girl was asked what she wanted to be when she grew up. "A corrupt clerk", she replied. This has been a national scoop and discussed in many public arenas, not because she couldn't say so, but because everybody knew she was right. On the other hand, there are still limitations and censorship, for example when it comes to the question of Tibet and the Falun Gong movement.
In cooperation with the Nobel Museum, Shahrazad in Stockholm has arranged a series of programmes in 2009, all connected to the exhibition Freedom of Expression - How Free is Free? 20 YEARS AFTER TIANANMEN SQUARE was the last programme in the series.
