June 2016: Global Calendar of Arab and Arabic Literary Events
If you have events to add, mail them in or add below:
May 30
Opening of Upholding Humanity in a Post-Human World? Arabic Literature after ‘Arab Spring’ (Oslo, Norway)
“12th bi-annual meeting of the European Association for Modern Arabic Literature (EURAMAL), 30 May – 04 June, 2016. The conference will take place in Georg Sverdrups Hus, University of Oslo. More details.
May 31
The Contribution of Women to Arabic Poetry in Nigeria (Toronto, Canada)
June 1
Nightboat Books poet Maged Zaher and The Consequences of My Body (Berkeley, USA)
“Zaher explores the landscape of life fraught with disappointments and occasional triumphs through fragments, lyrics, metatextual pauses, stutterings, translations of ancient poetry, and the occasional late-night email.” Starting at 7:30 p.m. Details here.
June 2
Book Launch: The Book of Khartoum (Edinburgh, Scotland)
With co-editor Raph Cormack and co-translator Sarah Irving. Starting at 6 p.m. Details here.
Opening of the Tahrir Book Fair (Cairo, Egypt)
Sponsored by AUC Press. Details here.
June 3
‘Egypt is being invaded by aliens!’ (Cairo, Egypt)
“We are inviting you to join the futuristic adventure and attend the book signing of Sherif Adel’s Pass By Tomorrow, the first comic book imagining Egypt in the year 3014.” Details here.
June 4
NAKED PUNCH Launch Party with Mona Kareem (Brooklyn, USA)
The Naked Punch Issue #18 Launch Party at 212 LEFFERTS PLACE features poetry in translation by Mona Kareem, among others. Details here.
Arabian Shakespeare New Works Festival (San Francisco, USA)
“Four playwrights have been selected to write four new short plays inspired by the poetry of Ibn Al-Arif, an Arab poet from the same era as Shakespeare. Directors will be given a cast of actors and 10 hours of rehearsal to completely stage the play. There will only be a single performance, so reservations are recommended.” Details here.
June 14
Ahmad Al Malik, Tarek Eltayeb and Others Launch Banipal 55: Sudanese Literature Today (London, England)
Ahmad Al Malik, Tarek Eltayeb and others from among Sudan’s acclaimed and inspiring writers, are on a special visit to London to discuss the flourishing and changing literary scene today for Sudanese writers. With readings from Banipal 55 – Sudanese Literature Today, the magazine’s latest edition. Details here.
June 16
Opening of the RAWI+Mizna 6th National Lit Gathering (Minneapolis, USA)
“These vibrant conferences are an opportunity to gather with leading writers, performers, and scholars of Arab American literature in a collegial and intimate setting. We invite all members of the Arab American community and our friends and allies to join together in spirit and conversation to celebrate and nurture Arab American literature, art, and culture.” Details here.
June 18
‘Gender Rights and Personal Freedoms’: A Talk with Authors Shereen El Feki and Fadi Zaghmout (London, England)
A talk with the authors of Sex and the Citadel and Bride of Amman.
Date: Friday 17 June, 2016
Time: Doors open 6.30pm for 7pm start, until 9pm
Venue: The Mosaic Rooms, Tower House, 226 Cromwell Road,
London SW5 0SW (nearest tube station Earl’s Court)
June 18
Palestinian Poet Suheir Hammad (Minneapolis, USA)
Hammad will appear with Syrian electro-tarab musician Hello Psychaleppo at the closing event for the RAWI+Mizna 6th National Lit Gathering. Details here.
June 22
An Evening of Palestinian Folktales told by Sarah Abušarar (Toronto, Canada)
“Sarah will use Palestinian folktales in order to explore Palestinian culture and its current political situation. Between the telling of the folktales, she will reflect with the audience on the stories current significance. She will touch upon themes such as the environmental impact of the occupation, censorship of stories and how stories travel.” Details here.