A List: Global Readings for Poet Ashraf Fayadh, Sentenced to Death in Saudi Arabia

The international literature festival Berlin is calling on “all individuals, institutions, schools and media outlets that care about justice and freedom to participate in a worldwide reading of selected poems and other texts in support of Ashraf Fayadh” on January 14, 2016. Fayadh is a Palestinian poet who has been sentenced to death by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia:

If you have an event to add, please email it in or append below. You can also contact the festival organizers through this website: www.worldwide-reading.com. 

Newly translated poems to read on January 14, wherever you may be:

Ashraf Fayadh, from Instructions Within: ‘The Last of the Line of Refugee Descendants’, translated by Jonathan Wright

Ashraf Fayadh, from Instructions Within: ‘A Melancholy Made of Dough,’ translated by Tariq Alhaydar

Ashraf Fayadh, from Instructions Within: Four Short Poems, translated by Jonathan Wright

Ashraf Fayadh, from Instructions Within: “A Space in the Void,” translated by Jonathan Wright

Ashraf Fayadh, from Instructions Within: “On the Virtues of Oil over Blood” translated by Mona Zaki

Ashraf Fayadh, from Instructions Within: “The Name of a Masculine Dream” translated by Mona Zaki

Youssef Rakha, uncollected: ‘Listen Ashraf,’ translated by Robin Moger

ilf also has more poems and excerpts at their Worldwide Reading site.

In French

Ashraf Fayadh, from Instructions de l’intérieur: “Les Moustaches de Frida Kalo’ and Other Poems,” ©Traduction Tahar BEKRI

In Spanish

Ashraf Fayadh, from Las instrucciones están adentro, “Los últimos descendientes de los Refugiados,” Del árabe al español: Shadi Rohana y Lawrence Schimel

In Finnish

Ašraf Fayyad, from Instructions Within, “Pakolaisten Viimeinen Jälkeläinen,” suomennos: Sampsa Peltonen

Readings:

Austria

Organiser: Freies Radio Innsbruck

Basque Country

Organiser: Basque PEN
Venue: Euskal Herria, Agoitz Plaza 1, 48015 Bilbo

Bolivia    

Organiser: PEN Bolivia / Biyú Suárez C.
Venue: Santa Cruz

Bosnia Herzegovina

Organiser: PEN Bosnia Herzegovina

Canada

Organizer: SEK Beddiari, from ADAB Canada (Auteurs de la Diaspora Arabe et Berbère au Canada) and BEROAF Editions
Venue: 2515, rue Delisle, Montreal, H3J1K8
Time: 6:30 pm
Participants: Expecting 20 to 30 poets and writers

Organiser: La Fondation Guido Molinari
Venue: La salle principale, La Fondation Guido Molinari, 3290, rue Sainte-Catherine Est, Montreal
Time: 7:30 pm
Participants: Michèle Drouin, Claude Gauvreau, Roland Giguère, Claude Haeffely, Anne Hébert, Gilles Hénault, Paul-Marie Lapointe, Jean-Paul Martino, Suzanne Meloche, Gaston Miron, Thérèse Renaud, Micheline Sainte-Marie, Fernande Saint-Martin, Françoise Sullivan, Guido Molinari, Martine Audet, Denise Desautels, Louise Dupré, Patrick Lafontaine, Michaël Trahan, François Turcot, Guido Del Fabbro
Website: http://fondationguidomolinari.org/activites/activites-a-venir/   

China

Organiser: Chris Song Zijiang
Venue: La Casa Bistro, Central, Hong Kong
Time: 6:30 pm
Participants:Bei Dao, Lau Yee Ching, Chris Song, James Shea, Ng Mei Kwan, Gabriel Wu, Zeit Fong, Matthew Cheng and others

Colombia

Organiser: Colegio José Max León
Venue: Colegio José Max León, Kilometro 2,7 Vía Sibera – Cota, 22 y 23, Buenavista, Cundinamarca

Croatia

Organiser: Croatia PEN
Venue: Zagreb

Denmark    

Organiser: Danish PEN / Mille Rode
Venue: Saudi-Arabian Embassy Copenhagen
Time: 4 pm – 5 pm

Egypt

Organisers: Dar Merit Publishing House
Venue: Dar Merit headquarters, Cairo

England

Organisers: English PEN / Mosaic Rooms (more here)
Venue: Mosaic Rooms – London
Time: 6 pm – 6:30 pm

Organisers: Norwich Arts Centre (more here)
Venue: Norwich Arts Centre, Norwich (directions)
Time: 8 p.m.

France    

Organiser: Maison des écrivains et de la littérature
Venue: Paris

Organiser: Bahiyyih Nakhjavani
Venue: Amicale Rooms of the Agora Building, Council of Europe, Strasbourg
Time: 6 pm – 8 pm

Organiser: Les associations Culture Maghreb Limousin, Limousin-Palestine et La Libre pensée
Venue: à la BFM de Limoges (Centre ville)
Time: Le mercredi 13 janvier 2016 à 19H

Germany    

Organiser: Agora – Gesellschaft für Literatur, Kunst und Kultur e.V.
Venue: Bad Oeynhausen

Organiser: Lenaugrundschule in Berlin-Kreuzberg / Katrin Schings
Venue: Bibliothek der Lenau-Grundschule in Kreuzberg
Time: 3 pm
Participants: Katrin Schings, Children 2nd to 4th grade

Organiser: network for international affairs (nefia e.V.)
Venue: Newsroom of ze.tt, Berlin
Website: www.nefia.org

Organiser: Lettrétage
Venue: Mehringdamm 61, 10961 Berlin
Participants: Nihad Sirees, Faten El-Dabbas
Website: www.lettretage.de 

Organiser: Europäisches Gymnasium Bertha von Suttner / Sibylle Seite
Venue: Reginhardstr. 172, 13409 Berlin
Time: 10 am
Participants: Sibylle Seite, Leistungskurs Deutsch 12
Website: www.bertha-von-suttner.de

Organiser: Schliemann-Grammar School Berlin / Christina Gruhle
Venue: Schliemann-Grammar School Berlin
Time: 8 am – 9:30 am

Organiser: Gemeinschaftsschule Campus Efeuweg / Alexandra Gebhardt
Venue: Gemeinschaftsschule Campus Efeuweg, Schulcafeteria, Berlin
Participants: refugees, pupils

Organiser: Indieberlin / Mia Morris

Organiser: internationales literaturfestival berlin
Venue: HAU Hebbel am Ufer 2 Berlin
Time: 7:30 pm
Website: www.hebbel-am-ufer.de

Organiser: Willy Brandt Schule / Marie Pohl
Venue: Willy Brandt Schule, Grüntaler Str. 5, 13357 Berlin
Participants: Marie Pohl, English Course

Organiser: Literaturhaus Villa Augustin
Venue: Literaturhaus Villa Augustin, Antonstr.1, 01097 Dresden
Time: 7 pm
Participants: Uta Hauthal
Additional Information: Followed by a concert of “Verschenkte Lieder” with Uta Hauthal
(Vocals) and Konrad Möhwald (Piano)

Organiser: Rotraut de Neve / YOP year of performance
Venue: Hamburg

Organiser: Writers’ Room Hamburg / Henry Holland
Venue: Writers’ Room Hamburg

Organiser: Marktkirche Hannover / Hanna Kreisel-Liebermann
Venue: Marktkirche Hannover

Organiser: International School Hannover Region / Jake Eagle
Venue: Bruchmeisterallee 6, 30169 Hannover
Participants: Jake Eagle, English Class K12 Students

Organiser: Sandra Burkhardt, Deutsches Literaturinstitut Leipzig
Venue: Deutsches Literaturinstitut Leipzig, Wächterstraße 34
Time: 6 pm

Organiser: Lektorat text-balance / Georg-D. Schaaf
Place: Münster

Organiser: Internationale Armin T. Wegner Gesellschaft e.V. und der Verband Deutscher SchriftstellerInnen, Sektion Bergisches Land / Ulrich Klan
Additional Information: Musical reading

Hong Kong

More on Facebook.

Italy

Roma – 14 gennaio, ore 18.30: Spazio Formiche di Vetro, via dei Vascellari 40. Con: Francesca Caferri, la Repubblica, Riccardo Noury, Amnesty International Italia, Simone Sibilio, Università Cà Foscari Venezia, Lissa Liimatainen, giornalista finlandese esperta di Arabia Saudita. Letture in arabo-italiano. In collaborazione con la Libreria Griot, il Teatro Spazio Formiche di Vetro e Amnesty International Italia.

Napoli – 14 gennaio, ore 8.30: Università degli studi di Napoli L’Orientale, aula 2.1 palazzo del Mediterraneo. Letture in arabo-italiano. In collaborazione con il Dipartimento di Asia, Africa e Mediterraneo dell’Università L’Orientale di Napoli.

Milano – 14 gennaio, ore 18.30: Libreria les Mots, via Carmagnola angolo via Pepe, Milano (mm2 Garibaldi uscita via Pepe, mm5 Isola). Interviene Jolanda Guardi, docente di letteratura araba. Letture in arabo-italiano. Organizzato da Q Code Mag.

Bologna – 14 gennaio, ore 17.30: Libreria UBIK, via Irnerio 27. Con il gruppo HUDUD, collegamento Skype dall’Iraq con lo scrittore Gassid Mohammed; organizzato da la Macchina Sognante.

Pescara – 14 gennaio, ore 21. Spazio Matta, v. Gran Sasso; organizzato da il Deposito dei Segni

La Spezia – 14 gennaio, ore 16.20: Biblioteca Beghi, via del Popolo 61 – organizzato da UAAR e Amnesty

Bari – 14 gennaio, ore 20: Libreria Zaum, via Cardassi 85-87; con la partecipazione di Nabil Salameh; organizzato da Amnesty International Bari e UAAR Bari

Villacidro – 14 gennaio, ore 19: presso il Caffè Letterario; organizzato da ITTE – Itinerari teatralizzati

Sassari – 14 gennaio, ore 19: presso la Sala Conferenze delle Messaggerie Sarde; organizzato da Associazione POP, Progetto Ottobre in Poesia

Ravenna – 14 gennaio, ore 18: presso l’Associazione Mirada, via Mazzini 83

Rimini – 14 gennaio, ore 21: La Brezza Caffè (Piazzetta San Martino 14)

Formia – 14 gennaio, ore 20: Koiné, Salotto culturale, via Lavanga

Pontedera – 14 gennaio: Biblioteca comunale Gronchi

Spinea – 14 gennaio, ore 20.30: Biblioteca comunale

Per info: chia.com82@gmail.com

Lebanon

Organiser: Jahida Wehbe

Mauritius

Organiser: Ledikasyon pu Travayer / Alain Ah-Vee
Place: Grand River North West, Port Louis
Time: 6 pm

Mexico    

Organiser: Magali Tercero
Venue: Casa Refugio, Casa Citlaltépetl 25, Col. Condesa, Ciudad de Mexico
Time: 7:30 pm

Netherlands    

Organiser: PEN Centre, James Tennant / Jennifer Clement / PEN Oxfam Novib Awards
Venue: Writers Unlimited festival The Hague
Participants: Jennifer Clement, Jung Chang

New Zealand  

Organiser: Courtney Sina Meredith
Venue: Auckland Central Library 44-46 Lorne St, Auckland
Time: 5:30 pm
Participants: Courtney Sina Meredith, Robert Sullivan

Norway

Organiser: Erling Kittelsen
Place: Oslo
Time: 15. January

Palestine    

Organiser: Qattan Foundation
Place: Ramallah

Portugal        

Organiser: PEN Portugal

Slovenia

Organiser: Barbara Skubic
Venue: Knjigarna Sanje
Time: 6 pm
Website: https://www.facebook.com/events/1713911782174049/         

Sweden

Organiser: Göteborg Literature House
Venue: Heurlins plats 1, Gothenburg
Time: 6 pm
Participants: Meira Ahmemulic, Kristín Bjarnadóttir, Jesper Brygger, Karin Brygger, Stewe Claeson, Åke Edwardson, Helena Eriksson, Linn Hansén, Gunnar D Hansson, Kennet Klemets, Jörgen Lind, Tetz Rooke, Jessica Schiefauer
Website: goteborgslitteraturhus.se/nyheter

Switzerland

Organiser: Literaturhaus Basel
Place: Basel

Organiser: index | Wort und Wirkung
Venue: Elisabethenstr. 14a 8004 Zürich
Time: 8 pm
Participants: u. A. Melanie Katz, Ulrike Ulrich, Annette Lory, Ahmad Alrayan

UK

Organiser: Lancaster Central Library
Place: Market Square, Lancaster, UK
Time: 7 pm – 9 pm
Participants: Jo Baker, Yvonne Battle-Felton, Carol Birch, Carole Coates, Andy Darby, Carys Davies, Paul Farley, Sarah Hymas, Pauline Keith, Angela Martin and Saleel Nurbhai

Organiser: Wales PEN Cymru
Venue: Welsh Parliament/ Assembly

Ukraine

Organiser: Ukrainian Literary Center
Place: Kiev

USA    

Organiser: Mariam Bazeed
When: Thursday, Jan. 14, 2016
Where: Terraza 7 Café; 40-19 Gleane St (near 84th St and Roosevelt Ave); Jackson Heights
http://www.terrazacafe.com
When: 7:00-9:00pm

Organisers: Emily Farranto, Andy Young, Khaled Hegazzi
Venue: Ten Gallery in New Orleans.
Time: 6:30 pm
Participants: Emily Farranto, Andy Young, Khaled Hegazzi, among others. Bilingual Arabic/English.
Website: http://www.tengallerynola.com/

Organiser: Irvine Welsh
Venue: Two Hearted Queen Coffee Shop, 1201 Racine, Chicago, IL
Time: 6 pm
Participants: Irvine Welsh, Dmitry Samarov, Bill Hillman
Organiser: Agnes Scott College / Waqas Khwaja
Venue: Agnes Scott College (Decatur, GA 30030) Frannie Auditorium, Campbell Hall
Time: 6 pm
Participants: Franklin Abbot, Funmi Akinfenwa, Calvin Burgamy, Alan Grostephan, Kai Issa, Latianna Nichols, Paige Sullivan, Marcus Taylor, Dan Veach, Ajay Vishwanathan, Waqas Khwaj

Organiser: The International Writing Program at The University of Iowa. Co-sponsors: UI Center for Human Rights and Iowa City UNESCO City of Literature
Venue: Shambaugh House (430 N. Clinton), Iowa City
Time: 12 pm
Website: iwp.uiowa.edu

Organiser: Catherine Fletcher
Venue: Terraza 7 Café, 40-19 Gleane St, Jackson Heights, New York
Time: 7:00 – 9:00 pm
Participants: Idra Novey, Bob Holman, Mohamad Hodeib
Website: www.terrazacafe.com

Organiser: PEN American Center / Clarisse Rosaz Shariyf
Venue: Brooklyn Museum, Martha A. and Robert S. Rubin Pavilion, 200 Eastern Parkway, Brooklyn, New York
Time: 7:00 PM
Participants: Natalie Diaz, Ru Freeman, Lawrence Joseph, Dina Omar, Dread Scott, Rob Spillman, Elissa Schappell
Website: http://www.pen.org/event/2015/12/22/life-and-freedom-ashraf-fayadh

 
Organiser: Kelly Writers House
Venue: Kelly Writers House (at the University of Pennsylvania) 3805 Locust Walk
Time: 12:00 pm
Participants: Charles Bernstein, Ron Silliman, Ariel Resnikoff, among others
Website: http://writing.upenn.edu/wh/calendar/0116.php

 
Organiser: Peace / Works & The Green Line Café Poetry Series hosted by Leonard Gontarek
Venue: The Green Line Café, 45th & Locust Streets, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Time: 7 pm
Website: www.greenlinecafe.com

Organiser: Boise State University
Venue: Farnsworth Room, Student Union Building – 1700 University Drive,  Boise, ID 83725
Time: 3 pm
Participants: Martin Corless-Smith, Pierre Joris
Website: http://english.boisestate.edu/mfa/

 

Organiser: Teatro Paraguas
Venue: Teatro Paraguas, 3205 Calle Marie, Santa Fe NM 87507 US
Time: 5 pm
Participants: Open Mic
Website: www.teatroparaguas.org

Organiser: Deborah Wodraska
Venue: Kismet Creative Center, 3409 Iowa Ave, St. Louis, MO 63118 USA
Time: 7 pm
Participants: Deborah Wodraska, Hart L’Ecuyer

Organiser: Maura High
Venue: Flyleaf Bookstore, Chapel Hill, NC

Organiser: Rattapallax, First Tuesdays, & Terraza 7 Café
Venue: Terraza 7 Café, 40-19 Gleane St, Jackson Heights, New York
Time: 7 – 9 pm
Participants: Michael Cirelli, Kia Corthron, Ram Devineni, Catherine Fletcher, Mohamad Hodeib, Bob Holman, Kewulay Kamara, Maria Lisella, Vikas Menon, Meera Nair, Richard J. Newman, Idra Novey, Amir Parsa, Roger Sedarat, K.C. Trommer, Vaughn Watson
Website: http://www.terrazacafe.com

 

Organiser: Sacred Grounds Café / Dan Brady
Venue: Sacred Grounds Café, 2095 Hayes St, San Francisco, CA 94117
Time: 7 pm
Participants: Open Mic
Additional Information: Streaming Live: http://www.ustream.tv/channel/sacred-Grounds-café
Website:  http://www.facebook.com/groups/203539673028715/

 

Organiser: Elliott Bay Book Company
Venue: Elliott Bay Book Company, 1521 10th Avenue
Seattle, WA 98122
Time: 7 pm
Website: http://www.elliottbaybook.com/event/ashraf-fayadh-global-reading-solidarity

 

Zimbabwe

Organiser: Pamberi Trust in collaboration with LitFest International Literature Festival
Venue: Pamb90 Selous Avenue, Harareeri Trust in collaboration with LitFest International Literature Festival, Harare
Time: 5:30 – 7:30 pm
Participants: Several writers, poets and artists
Website: Facebook page: Pamberi Trust and LitFest Harare