Internationales Literaturfestival Berlin – Politik im Exil

Politics in Exile. Democracy from Afar 

Defending democratic values is becoming increasingly urgent in the face of global upheavals. People who have been persecuted for their beliefs and forced to flee into exile appreciate democratic systems all the more and demonstrate that democracy requires active engagement and courage. What is it like to advocate for freedom from afar? This evening, people living in political exile—including writers, musicians, and public figures—will discuss this topic. 

Voices for Democracy. Those who do not fight have already lost  

6:00–7:00 p.m.

Dialogues & Discussions  
With Stella Gaitano, Mariam Meetra, and Aslı Erdoğan 
Moderated by Shila Behjat 
In English and German with simultaneous translation

Aslı Erdoğan, Stella Gaitano, and Mariam Meetra were forced to leave their home countries for political reasons. Since then, they have continued their writing and activism in exile. In this conversation, they describe their experiences and share the struggles they face in making their voices heard. What motivates them to hold fast to their convictions even while far from home? What role does writing play? And to what extent do the political structures of their host countries shape their thoughts, feelings, and actions? 

Walking Readings 

7:15–8:30 p.m.

Dialogues & Discussions  
In various languages with German and English translation

In a series of short readings and performances, authors and musicians will present texts, poems, and songs at regular intervals in four different rooms at the Documentation Center. During the breaks, attendees can move between the rooms and presentations.  

Exhibition Hall: WTBSK: Belarusian Avant-Garde in Berlin  

As a star of the Belarusian underground music scene, Sveta Ben performs in a variety of formats at renowned clubs. In 2020, she narrowly escaped imprisonment in Belarus. Together with Sergey Novitsky and Mikhail Rodionov, she performs as part of the WTBSK project. Regarding her current life situation, she says: “Forced emigration is a terrible experience. It’s full of feelings of guilt—not conscious, not logical, but deeply rooted.”  

Event Hall: Stella Gaitano and Mariam Meetra  

How do human rights activists describe the country they were forced to leave? South Sudanese writer Stella Gaitano tells the story, in novel form, of the lives and survival of two women in Sudan. The Afghan poet Mariam Meetra writes poems about Kabul, the “saddest city in the world.” Both will read selected passages from their latest works in Arabic and Farsi. With German and English subtitles.  

Room of Silence: Aslı Erdoğan: Requiem for a Lost City 

Originally, her book was to be titled “The Silence of Life” when Aslı Erdoğan wrote it in Turkish in 2005. In “Requiem for a Lost City” (translated from Turkish by Gerhard Meier. Penguin, 2022), the author embarks on a poetic journey into the inner world of a nameless heroine who becomes politically, feministically, and culturally involved and is subsequently forced to leave her beloved Istanbul. 

Library: The Poetry Project: Bahadîn Akhan, Ali Alzaeem, Razia Karimi 

Bahadîn Akhan, Ali Alzaeem, and Razia Karimi were forced to flee their homelands—Northern Kurdistan, Syria, and Afghanistan. Through verse, they express their feelings and stories about living in a foreign land while their thoughts remain back home. They take turns reciting their poetry in their respective native languages, while actress Selin Dörkardeş reads the German translation. 

The poets are part of The Poetry Project. 

Commitment to Democracy. Freedom Is Not a Place 

8:00–10:00 p.m.

Dialogues & Discussions  
With Ryyan Alshebl, Kai Sina, Nathan Law
Moderated by Shila Behjat 
In German and English with simultaneous interpretation

Does exile give rise to democrats? How do people in exile shape democracy? These are questions that have preoccupied Thomas Mann ever since he was forced to leave Germany. Kai Sina shows how exile shaped Thomas Mann into a political speaker against the Nazis. Nathan Law, one of the leading figures in Hong Kong’s pro-democracy movement, and Ryyan Alshebl, who fled Syria in 2015, discuss what it means today to be politically active far from home.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Doors open: 5:45 p.m.
Language: German and English with simultaneous translation

REGISTRATION REQUIRED