The 26th ILB presents: Politic in Exile. Democracy from Afar
Politic in Exile. Democracy from Afar
Defending democratic values is becoming increasingly urgent in the face of global upheaval. People who have been persecuted for their beliefs and forced into exile have a particular appreciation for democratic systems, and they caution: democracy requires active engagement and courage. What does it feel like to advocate for freedom from afar? That is the question explored at this evening event by discussants from literature, music, and public life who are living and working in political exile.
A cooperation of the International Literature Festival Berlin with the Körber-Stiftung, the Documentation Centre for Displacement, Expulsion, Reconciliation and the Foundation Exile Museum. With support of Weiter Schreiben of WIR MACHEN DAS e.V. and The Poetry Project e.V.
Voices for Democracy
18.00–19.00 p.m.
With Aslı Erdoğan, Stella Gaitano and Mariam Meetra
Moderated by Shila Behjat
In English and German with simultaneous interpretation.
The writers Aslı Erdoğan, Stella Gaitano, and Mariam Meetra were all forced to leave their home countries for political reasons. Since then, they have continued their writing and activism in exile. In conversation, they describe their experiences and speak about the struggles they face to be heard. What drives them to remain committed to their convictions far from home? What role does writing play? And in what ways do the political structures of their host country shape how they think, feel, and act?
Wandering Readings
19.15–20.30 p.m.
In various languages, with German or English translations.
In a series of short readings, authors and musicians present texts, poems, and songs at four different locations within the Documentation Centre.
Exhibition Hall: WTBSK – Belarusian Avantgarde in Berlin
As a star of the Belarusian underground music scene, Sveta Ben performs in various formats at renowned clubs. In 2020, she narrowly escaped imprisonment in Belarus. Together with Sergey Novitsky and Mikhail Rodionov, she performs as WTBSK. About her current situation, she says: „Forced emigration is a terrible experience. It is full of guilt – not conscious, not logical, but deeply present."
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, in the form of a novel, the story of the lives and survival of two women in Sudan. Afghan poet Mariam Meetra writes poems about Kabul, „the saddest city in the world". Both read selected passages from their most recent works.
Room of Silence: Aslı Erdoğan – Requiem for a Lost City
When Aslı Erdoğan wrote it in Turkish in 2005, her book was originally to be called „The Silence of Life". In „Hayatın Sessizliğinde", the author takes the reader on a poetic journey into the inner world of a nameless protagonist who becomes entangled in political, feminist, and cultural conflict, and is consequently forced to leave her beloved Istanbul behind. Erdoğan reads excerpts from it, with the help of the actress Mariann Yar.
Library: The Poetry Project – Bahadîn Akhan, Ali Alzaeem, Razia Karimi
Bahadîn Akhan, Ali Alzaeem, and Razia Karimi were forced to flee their homes in North Kurdistan, Syria, and Afghanistan. In verse, they express their feelings and stories about the experience of living in a foreign country while their thoughts remain at home. They take turns presenting their poetry in their respective mother tongues, while actress Selin Dörtkardeş
The poets are part of The Poetry Project.
Engagement for Democracy. Freiheit ist kein Ort
21.00–22.00 p.m.
Dialoge & Diskussionen
With Ryyan Alshebl, Nathan Law, Kai Sina
Moderated by Shila Behjat
In German and English with simultaneous interpretation
Does exile nurture democrats? How do people shape democracy in exile? These are questions that preoccupied Thomas Mann from the moment he was forced to leave Germany. Kai Sina shows how exile transformed Mann into a political orator against the National Socialists. Nathan Law, one of the leading figures of the democracy movement in Hong Kong, and Ryyan Alshebl, who fled Syria in 2015, speak about what political engagement means today while at a far distance from home.
FURTHER INFORMATION
Admission: 5.45 p.m
Language: In German and English with simultaneous interpretation
