Norsk Litteraturfestival (24 - 29 May 2011)

This time last year I was finalising preparations to attend the 15th edition of Norsk Litteraturfestival (Sigrid Undset-Dagene). The festival is one of the biggest and most prestigious in the Nordic countries. I was invited me as a guest poet/writer to discuss last year's theme; breakaway, using my collection of poems, i am memory.  

It was a big honour to hold discussions with Prof Helge Rønning, famous lyrical poet,Jan Erik Vold and a fantastic audience; whose interrogation opened a platform to express how my collection of poems becomes an opportunity to introspect and reconcile the rise of a culture of forgetfulness, which perhaps promotes the global perception of socio-political disintegration in my country.

Other writers at the event were, Mahmoud Dowlatabadi, Sasa Stanisic, Amal Aden etc

This year, the theme is: Cities, and one of the headliners would be ANDRÉ BRINK, the South African novelist, whose writing I enjoy very much.

Other headliners this year are:

DAG SOLSTAD

CARL FRODE TILLER

KARIN FOSSUM

BEATE GRIMSRUD

ANE DAHL TORP

ASLI ERDOGAN (TR)

ANDRÉ BRINK (ZA)

KATE MORTON (AU)

JORALF GJERSTAD

MARIA AMELIE

WENDY GUERRA(CU)

This is against the backdrop of the residence of Bjørnstjerne Martinius Bjørnson and Sigrid Undset (the festival is named after her), two Nobel Prize winners whose houses are maintained by the state.

So if you do find yourself in Norway, please stop over at Lillehammer, and enjoy a beautiful festival.

About the Festival

Dates for the next festival: 24 to 29 May 2011

The Norwegian Festival of Literature is the largest literature festival in the Nordic countries. Its main focus is Norwegian contemporary literature and the interaction between literature and society. In the past few years it has had an increasingly international profile and from the festival in 2007 a particular focus on literature from the Nordic countries.

The festival takes place every year in Lillehammer at the end of May.

The festival contains everything from large scale events to intimate small events: meetings with authors and authorships, readings, interviews, debates, lectures, concerts, art exhibitions, seminars, theatre, film and quiz. This is a festival for an extensive reading audience: kindergarten- and school children, families, book club members, teachers, students, musicians, actors, journalists and politicians.

The festival is also Norway's largest meeting point for authors, translators, literary critics, publishers and librarians. 

You may read more about the festival HERE

N.B: 'About the festival' was copied from the festival website.