November 2015: Global Arab and Arabic Literary Events Calendar
Arab and Arabic literary events in some form of translation. Email or add your events below:
Nov 1
Continuation of the Algiers International Book Fair (Algiers, Algeria)
Runs through Nov. 7. More here.
Nov 2
Opening Day of the 3rd Arab Publishers Conference (Sharjah, UAE)
The conference will take place at the Al Jawaher Reception and Convention Centre on the eve of the Sharjah Book Fair. More here.
Opening Day of Egypt Comix Week (Cairo, Egypt)
Includes talks, workshops, and exhibitions. A schedule can be found here.
Nov 4
Opening Day of the Sharjah International Book Fair (Sharjah, UAE)
The fair is set to run through Nov. 14. More here.
Nov 5
Screening of ‘The Great Book Robbery (Abu Dhabi, UAE)
“At least 70,000 Palestinian books were systematically “collected” by the newly created State of Israel during the 1948 war. The story of these “collected” books is at the heart of The Great Book Robbery.” More here.
Nov 6
Istanbul’s First-ever Arabic Book Fair Opens (Istanbul, Turkey)
Nov 7
Moroccan Writer Fouad Laroui at the Pisa Book Festival (Pisa, Italy)
Syria in Words and Music (Amherst, USA)
“Syria, in Words and Music,” a program featuring readings by Syrian writer Rasha Abbas and her English translator Alice Guthrie, as well as music by the Layaali Arabic Music Ensemble with Syrian master oud player Kinan Idnawi, is being presented Saturday, Nov. 7 at 7:30 p.m. at Bezanson Recital Hall at the University of Massachusetts Amherst.” More here.
Nov 9
Fadi Zaghmout Discusses Debut Novel, Bride of Amman (Cheltenham, England)
At 7 p.m. at the Suffolk Anthology bookshop. Part of Zaghmout’s “Sexual Freedoms and Body Rights Tour.” More here.
Nov 10
Migration and Dreams (Cairo, Egypt)
“Join us at the Townhouse library for a conversation, in Arabic, with the Finnish researcher and anthropologist Samuli Schielke, in which he will contemplate this dialectic drawing from his work with Egyptians who dreamt of migration or have already migrated; accompanied by the Egyptian poet Basem Abu Geweili, one of the migrants who shared with Schielke his reflections.” More here.
The Fabled Manuscripts of Timbuktu (Leiden, Netherlands)
“Historically, Timbuktu was the central site of intellectual activity in Sahelian Africa. The world held its breath when its libraries were under threat during the Islamist takeover of northern Mali in 2012. But what exactly is in the manuscripts there? And how did Saharan scholarship develop after the 17th century? This has been a mystery shrouded in the hundreds of thousands of documents and books alledgedly awaiting discovery. The final volume of The Arabic Literature of Africa catalogues and comments on the legacy of the libraries of Timbuktu and Mauritania.
“Charles Stewart (visiting scholar at Northwestern University & emeritus professor at the University of Illinois) will present the major findings from The Arabic Literature of Africa, Volume V, and his ideas about the next steps for studying this important cultural heritage.” More here.
Fadi Zaghmout Discusses Debut Novel, Bride of Amman (Oxford, England)
At 5 p.m. at The Middle East Centre, St. Anthony’s College, Oxford. Part of Zaghmout’s “Sexual Freedoms and Body Rights Tour.” More here.
Nov 11
Poets Respond to Torture (NYC, USA)
Organized by Warscapes: Includes talks by Sinan Antoon, Nathalie Handal and Brenda Marie Osbey. More here.
Fadi Zaghmout Discusses Debut Novel, Bride of Amman (Bristol, England)
Starting at 7 p.m. at The Arts House Café. Part of Zaghmout’s “Sexual Freedoms and Body Rights Tour.” More here.
Nov 12
Translation Lab: Authors and Translators Discuss Their Collaboations (NYC, USA)
“Four pairs of authors and translators from the Fall 2015 Writers Omi at Ledig House Translation Lab—working in languages ranging from Spanish and Syrian to Bulgarian and Basque—come together to discuss their latest work together, providing insight into the complex operations involved in translating literature. Featuring Christina MacSweeney, Daniel Saldana Paris, Alice Guthrie, Rasha Abbas, Izidora Angel, Hristo Karatoyanov, Amaia Gabantxo, and Miren Agur Meabe.” More here.
Fadi Zaghmout in conversation with Brian Whitaker (London, England)
At the Gay’s the Word Bookshop. Part of Zaghmout’s “Sexual Freedoms and Body Rights Tour.” More here.
Nov 13
Muhammad Dibo Launches Italian Translation of E Se Fossi Morto? (Cagliari, Italy)
Syrian writer, poet, and journalist Muhammad Dibo will be in Italy to present the Italian translation of his latest novel E se fossi morto? (What if I am dead?), translated by Federica Pistono and published by Il Sirente. More here.
Nov 14
Muhammad Dibo Launches Italian Translation of E Se Fossi Morto? (Rome, Italy)
Syrian writer, poet, and journalist Muhammad Dibo will be in Italy to present the Italian translation of his latest novel E se fossi morto? (What if I am dead?), translated by Federica Pistono and published by Il Sirente. More here.
Nov 15
Muhammad Dibo Launches Italian Translation of E Se Fossi Morto? (Monterotondo, Italy)
Syrian writer, poet, and journalist Muhammad Dibo will be in Italy to present the Italian translation of his latest novel E se fossi morto? (What if I am dead?), translated by Federica Pistono and published by Il Sirente. More here.
Fadi Zaghmout Discusses Debut Novel, Bride of Amman (Brighton, England)
Starting at 7:30 p.m. at Waterstones. Part of Zaghmout’s “Sexual Freedoms and Body Rights Tour.” More here.
November 16
Nation Constellation: Novel Imaginings of Palestinian Community in the Works of Ibrahim Nasrallah (Amman, Jordan)
A talk by Nora Parr. More here.
November 21
Lebanese-Canadian Novelist Wajdi Mouawad Launches Amina (Rome, Italy)
As part of the Festival of the French Fiction in Italy. More here.
Nov 30
Hekaya the Story (Abu Dhabi, UAE)
“From Nabati poetry to spoken word to hip-hop, a multiple-artist celebration of heritage in poetry, prose and song, drawing from the diverse communities of the UAE. An exciting line-up of performers will honor National Day through words and music, selected through a collaborative curatorial process.” Starts 7 p.m. at the NYU Abu Dhabi. More here.