Ways of Dialogue is a week long event of both local and international writers invited by PEN Lebanon to participate in panel discussion and read from their work in cities across Lebanon.
Participating cities include Aley, Baakline, Baalbek, Tripoli, Tyre and of course Beirut. These events will take place in universities, culture clubs and high schools.
For more info on the schedule and participants please refer to the PEN website: https://penlebanon.org
Participants include:
Sawsan Al Abtah – Rasha Al Ameer – Maya alHajj – Hanan AlShaykh – Assem Bazzi – Youssef Bazzi – Abbas Beydoun – Mark Daou – Roula el Hussein – Zena el Khalil – Fadi el Tofeili – Fouad Mohammad Fouad – Iman Humaydan – Hussam Itani – Hala Kawtharani – Roseanne Khalaf – Martijn Knol (The Netherlands) – Usha Kuniga Ramaswamy (India) – Issa Makhlouf – Sahar Mandour – Mohammad Nasserdine – Bilal Orfali – Vamba Sherif (Liberia, Holland) – Alawiyah Sobh – Witold Szablowski (Poland) – Assaad Thebian – Fawzi Yammine – Hyam Yared – Rewa Zeinati – Khaled Ziadeh
The topics that will be discussed include:
1. “Conflict and Power in Modern Times”
How do people of different cultures deal with conflict in different times? And what is the role of literature in this debate? Readings, panel discussion and discussion with the public.
2. “Changing Ideologies: Changes in Literature?”
In what way do the rise of extremism, fundamentalism, the rise of nationalist and populist and religious movements influence literature?
3. “Women’s Voices in Times of Chaos”
Do women have a different perspective in their writings in the times of chaos and how do they deal with these differences?
A dialogue between international and local women writers.
4. “What next? Dialogue in Chaotic Times: the Role of the Youth”
A new generation of Arab writers, poets and intellectuals has arisen. Not only does their work differ from the previous generation in terms of content, but also by experimenting with new literary forms. What kind of new forms and contents do they present, and why do they feel the urge to experiment? Is this experimentalism exclusively related to the Arab spring, or is it the urge to redefine literature world-wide?
Local writers will host events in their respective cities, including:
“Discovering Tyre through the Eyes of its Poet” A walking tour in Tyre guided by Abbass Beydoun.
“Reading for Peace” a literature, art and music event hosted by Zena el Khalil in a war-torn abandoned palace in Ras al Jabal, Aley.
“Place and Memory in Time of Crisis and Change”
How memory is reflected in literature in different cultures with different political, historical and geographical backgrounds? Moderated by Sawsan elAbtah followed by a guided tour of Tripoli with Dr. Khaled Ziadeh.