- Welcomes authors Elif Shafak, Andrey Kurkov, Timothy Snyder, Alvina Chamberland, Rešoketšwe Manenzhe, Rosabelle Illes and Asta Olivia Nordenhof, among many others
Over hundred-twenty authors, poets, spoken word artists and musicians will perform at the 30th Writers Unlimited International Literature Festival. From 23 to 26 January 2025, festival events will take place throughout The Hague in theatres, libraries and schools. For tickets and information, see writersunlimited.nl.
The festival will focus on live readings of poetry, stories and on spoken word. Authors will also discuss current topics in response to recent books. The festival opens 23 January under the theme of freedom of speech. It also includes two grand festival evenings in Theater aan het Spui and Filmhuis Den Haag, the presentation of the Hague Literature Awards and free events in neighbourhood libraries and Cultuurankers. On Sunday afternoon, 26 January, the festival closes with the festive musical-literary show Playing with Fire in Amare with Spinvis, Babs Gons, Abdelkader Benali, Shirma Rouse, Joost Oomen, XILLAN, Zaïre Krieger and students of the Royal Conservatoire Dance and percussion group Pulse led by Eli Wing, among others.
The 30th festival edition has the motto On Fire. ‘Fire represents love, desire and passion, but also burning issues such as war, migration and climate,’ said Judith Uyterlinde, director of Writers Unlimited. ‘Fire is the source of inspiration for talks and readings on issues including freedom of expression, war and remembrance, gender and eroticism, and a host of other issues that fervently occupy writers, poets and audiences.’
A well-known festival participant is Turkish-British author Elif Shafak. She has written many bestsellers, including the recently published new novel There Are Rivers in the Sky. Andrey Kurkov, renowned Ukrainian author, returns to the festival to talk about his forthcoming historical novel The Silver Bone, and as a combative and esteemed commentator on the Russian attack on his country. Famous American historian Timothy Snyder will join the festival for conversations about his books and the challenges facing Europe.
Swedish-American author Alvina Chamberland talks about her Love the World or Get Killed Trying. The internationally acclaimed book is a playful and raw autofiction in which a trans woman describes how straight men treat her; in particular, the stark difference between their covert desires and public disgust. Danish success author Asta Olivia Nordenhof is participating in the festival to mark the publication of The Devil Book, the second novel of her planned septology around the remarkable story of the Scandinavian Star ferry fire disaster in 1990.
Author and poet Rešoketšwe Manenzhe from South Africa will come to the festival to read from her poetry and talk about her novel Scatterlings, recently published in Dutch translation as Zwervelingen.
The festival offers many Dutch language writers, poets and spoken word artists a stage to present both existing and new work live. The festival can be found in the city centre but also in The Hague districts Laak, Schilderswijk, Ypenburg and Nieuw Waldeck. Neighbourhood residents, college students and high school students participate and make themselves heard with their own stories in spoken and written form.
Meanwhile, the participation of the following authors and musicians from the Netherlands or Flanders has been confirmed: Alara Adilow, Lev Avitan, Abdelkader Benali, Benzokarim, Robin Block, Hassnae Bouazza, Saartje van Camp, Sinan Çankaya, Ellen Deckwitz, Mira Feticu, Dario Goldbach, Babs Gons, Maarten van der Graaff, Mirte Hartland, Zaïre Krieger, Mamar, Kylie Martijn, Tomas Lieske, Yasmin Namavar, Lara Nuberg, Joost Oomen, Orchestra De Ereprijs, Alejandra Ortiz, Shirma Rouse, Annet Schaap, Spinvis, Lisa Weeda, Tommy Wieringa, Yael van der Wouden and XILLAN.
Writers Unlimited's programme makers will further develop the festival programme in the coming months. The festival will announce its full programme in early December.
Writers Unlimited brings together writers, poets, spoken word artists, thinkers and scientists from all over the world to discuss with our audiences current issues, literature, poetry, art, science and society. Annually in the Writers Unlimited International Literature Festival The Hague (next edition 23-26 January 2025), throughout the year in our Writers Series talks at various locations in The Hague, and in our Podcasts. And 24/7 in our freely accessible YouTube channel videos with hundreds of live recordings of our talks and performances with authors from all over the world.
Since 1995, Writers Unlimited has organised the Writers Unlimited International Literature Festival The Hague. Many tens of thousands of visitors have witnessed talks and readings by writers and poets on topical themes. The festival has grown into one of the most important international literary events in the Netherlands. With its mission to ‘Give the floor to the authors’ the festival has engaged literature in the national and international social debate.
Our activities are made possible by structural subsidies from the City of The Hague and the Dutch Foundation for Literature, and incidentally by various private funds. For the festival, we cooperate with many programme partners including Amare, Literatuurmuseum, Huis van het Boek, De Haagse Hogeschool, Bibliotheek Den Haag and the Jan Campert-Stichting.
Information / tickets: writersunlimited.nl
About Writers Unlimited
Writers Unlimited brengt schrijvers, journalisten, denkers, dichters, artiesten én hun publiek samen in het Writers Unlimited Internationaal Literatuurfestival Den Haag en in programma's op locatie in Den Haag ('Writers Series). Tijdens die ontmoetingen wisselen ze hun literaire werk, hun ervaringen, dromen en ideeën uit over grenzen van culturen en talen.
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Writers Unlimited connects writers, journalists, scholars, poets and artists with their audiences, across borders of cultures and countries, in the annual Writers Unlimited International Literature Festival The Hague and in monthly literary events on location in The Hague (Writers Series). During those encounters, they exchange - before an audience and amongst each other - their work, their experiences, dreams and ideas. In all languages and cultural diversity.