Events will be added as they are scheduled and discovered. Please add your own by posting in the comments or emailing, although note the events focus on Arabic literature in translation:
June 1
PalFest (Jerusalem)
At the Burj al Luqluq Social Centre (meet at 7pm at the Educational Bookshop). Poetry: Najwan Darwish. Performance : Hussam Ghosheh. Music: Salam Abu Emneh. More here.
Launch of The Book of Gaza at the Hay Festival (Hay-on-Wye, Wales)
From organizers: “Gazan author Atef Abu Saif introduces his groundbreaking anthology, The Book of Gaza, featuring ten Palestinian writers translated into English for the first time. Each story takes place in a different part of the Strip and together they provide a ‘literary map’ of Gaza, navigating its readers around the city. Atef is joined by one of the contributing short story writers, Abdallah Tayeh. They talk to Georgina Godwin.” Event 444 • Sunday 1 June 2014, 1pm • Venue: Good Energy Stage. More here.
June 2
Launch of The Book of Gaza (London, England)
At 7 p.m. at the Mosaic Rooms, a special evening with Gazan author Atef Abu Saif, who will introduce The Book of Gaza. The anthology features ten Palestinian writers translated into English for the first time. Atef will be joined by one of the contributing short story writers, Abdallah Tayeh. More here.
Launch of A Bird is not a Stone (Glasgow, Scotland)
6 p.m. at Tell It Slant. More about the even here. More about the project here.
PalFest (Bethlehem)
At Bethlehem University, Furno Hall. Panel: “New Media, New Narratives” with Najwan Darwish, Sharif Abdel Kouddous, Ursula Lindsey, Rachel Shabi and moderator Maath Musleh. Also a panel on “Women and Writing History” with Linda Spalding, Nathalie Handal, Sabrina Mahfouz, Susan Abulhawa, Sapphire and moderator: Ed Pavlic. More here.
June 3
Launch of A Bird is not a Stone (Edinburgh, Scotland)
1 p.m. at Looking Glass Books. More about the even here. More about the project here.
PalFest (Haifa)
Event in Honour of Rawdah Attalah with MC Eyad Barghouthi, music from Najwan Darwish, Farag Sleiman & Rana Khoury, poetry by Nathalie Handal, a panel with Asmaa Azaizeh, Sheikha Hlewa, Raga Ghanem, and Ahdaf Soueif.
Also a video message fromAtef Abu Seif from Gaza, poetry from Ed Pavlic, and a panel on “Lost Homes, Writing as Return,” with Teju Cole, Michael Ondaatje, Kamila Shamsie. More here.
June 4
PalFest (Nablus)
At Qasr al Qassem, Beit Wazan (free buses at 7pm from al Dawwar & Project Hope). Including a performance by Amer Hlehel, scenes from “Taha,” readings by Rafeef Ziadah, Susan Abulhawa, and Sapphire, and music by DAM. More here.
June 5
PalFest (Ramallah)
At the Khalil Sakakini Cultural Centre, readings by Teju Cole, Janne Teller, Haifa Zangana, andAhdaf Soueif, a performance by Sabrina Mahfouz, and music byMinistry of Dub-Key, with special performances by Wala’a Sbeit and Bruno Cruz. More here.
June 7
Opening of Liverpool Arab Arts Festival, or LAAF (Liverpool, England)
With events that run thruogh the 15th. Brochure here.
June 8
“A Fire Blazing Brightly” (Liverpool, England)
Award winning playwright Hassan Abdulrazzak presents an exclusive reading of scenes from his new play. Brochure here.
June 11
Book Talk: Book of Gaza (Liverpool, England)
6 p.m. at the Bluecoat. Brochure here and more on the Book of Gaza above.
June 13
Book Talk: A Land Without Jasmine (Liverpool, England)
6 p.m. at the Bluecoat: A facilitated Skype conversation with Yemeni writer of A Land Without Jasmine, Wajdi al-Ahdal 2014 winner of the Saif Ghobash Banipal award for translation and the editor of Banipal, Samuel Shimon Brochure here.
Deadline for PEN Translates! Applications (Worldwide)
June 14
Book Talk: Syria Speaks (Liverpool, England)
5 p.m. at the Bluecoat. “Since March 2011, self publishing Syrian writers and artists have formed anonymous artists’ collectives, here they present readings, screenings and discussion. This lively event marks the publication of Syria Speaks: Art and Culture from the Frontline, a unique anthology of literature, art and culture which acts as a window onto their creative endeavours.” Brochure here
Sarmada (Liverpool, England)
A new show based on Fadi Azzam’s novel Sarmada, long-listed for the International Prize for Arabic Fiction in 2011 and translated by Adam Talib. Brochure here
June 19
“The Translator” (Chicago, USA)
The Translator “tells the story of Sammy, an English-Arabic translator who defected from Syria, and Zaid, his politically active brother who is arrested for peacefully demonstrating against the regime. Although afraid, Sammy illegally returns to Syria in order to find his brother and in the process discovers his courage.” Through June 20. More here.
June 27
The opening of “After a War,” with Lucien Bourjeily (London, England)
Since Bourjeily did, after all, get his passport back from Lebanese General Security. Through the 29th. More here.
