ICORN at Stavanger International Festival of Literature Kapittel 08

From 8.-14. September 2008 Stavanger Cultural Centre, Sølvberget, presents its annual International Festival of Literature, Kapittel (Chapter). The theme of this year's festival is Walls, and we will hear from divided cities, countries and continents as well as explore other forms of segregation and schisms.  Sølvberget is also host to the ICORN Administration Centre and both ICORN and Shahrazad will be present at the festival.  Shahrazad is proud to introduce the Lebanese writer Rabih Alameddine and his book The Hakawati to a Norwegian audience. The Arabic word Hakawati means storyteller, and the book has been called 1001 nights for the 21st century. Its opening line could be a headline for Shahrazad - Stories for Life: "Listen. Allow me to be your god. Let me take you on a journey beyond imagining. Let me tell you a story." (Thursday 11.Sept. at 20:30). Alameddine will also meet Somalian author Nuruddin Farah to talk about the power of the word to both escalate and bridge conflict. The Word and the Sword - Stories from the Front, Saturday 13.Sept. at 15:00.

On Sunday 14.September ICORN is looking at China after the 2008 Olympics. Mark Leonard, author of What Does China Think, will give an introduction to an informed panel discussion. This event is organized in cooperation with the Norwegian Foreign Ministry.

Highlights from Walls Kapittel 08