July 15 Symposium to Highlight ‘Palestine Voices’
In its recently launched summer issue, World Literature Today — the University of Oklahoma’s award-winning magazine of international literature and culture — presents a historic cover feature devoted to Palestine Voices. The issue, guest-edited by writer and photographer Yousef Khanfar, can be found in U.S. and Canadian bookstores and online at www.worldlit.org.
To launch the issue, WLT will host a worldwide Zoom webinar at 11 a.m. CDT (12 p.m. EDT on the East Coast) on Thursday, July 15. Hosted by Khanfar and Daniel Simon, editor-in-chief of WLT, the webinar will feature many of the contributing writers, poets, artists and translators. To join the webinar, attendees are invited to click on this link.
Showcasing 25 of the most eminent poets and writers from the West Bank, Gaza, Jerusalem, Tel Aviv and the diaspora, along with work by 16 renowned Palestinian artists and photographers, the issue includes essays, short stories, poetry, interviews, and featured book reviews along with Khanfar’s introductory essay and “Palestine Bookshelf” reading list.
Salma Khadra Jayyusi, winner of the inaugural Palestine Prize for Literature, will also be honored during the webinar, and attendees will have the opportunity to pose questions to the writers and artists. Throughout the event, several copies of the issue will be given away.
An award-winning Palestinian author, Khanfar has published three books, is featured globally in many publications and is listed as one of the world’s top photographers. Among his many honors, the Palestine mission to the United Nations honored him for “appreciation of [his] extraordinary service to promoting peace and justice in Palestine through art.” In curating the “Palestine Voices” issue, his vision was to showcase the very best of Palestinian culture and — beyond the headlines about politics and violence in the region — to reflect the humanity of the Palestinian people to Western readers.Topics of discussion at the symposium will include the beauty of the Arabic language as well as Palestinian culture, art and literature. The writers, artists and photographers will share insights into their work featured in the issue as well as favorite poems, books and writers that influenced them. They will also share compelling stories about Palestine and Palestinian culture. “The conversation promises to be powerful, dynamic and informative,” according to Simon.
For more information or accommodations, contact Terri Stubblefield at (405) 325-4531 or [email protected]
