Poetry and Politics: Reading Mahmoud Darwish in Berlin

As a border-crosser between worlds and as the "poetic voice" of the Palestinians, Mahmoud Darwish (1941 - 2008) has left a multifaceted legacy. His poetry allows the "other" to be experienced as a poetic counterpoint. The role of the literary imagination in the political discourse of the Arabic world and Palestinian-Israeli relations is also central to his work. What does it mean to read Darwish in Berlin between the potentially conflicting contexts of poetry and politics?

The evening’s events include a documentary film about his life and work, poetry readings, and a round table discussion of Mahmoud Darwish’s politico-poetic practice.

Participants: Sinan Antoon (author, New York/Baghdad), Amnon Raz-Krakotzkin (historian, Jerusalem), Hassan Khader (author, Berlin/Ramallah), Sher Seikaly (historian, Beirut/Haifa), Julia Malik (actrice, Berlin) and others. Biografies of the participants...

Programme:
19 h Welcome / Introduction to the series De/Colonizing Europe, Book presentation „Di/Visions – Culture and Politics of the Middle East“ (Samah Selim)
19.15 h Introduction and presentation „Poetry and Politics – Mahmoud Darwish“: Sinan Antoon
19.30 h Poem recitation: Hassan Khader, Sinan Antoon, Julia Malik
20.00 h "As the Land is the Language" documentary film by Simone Bitton on Mahmoud Darwish, France/Israel (English subtitles)
20.50 h Poem recitation: Amnon Raz-Kratkotzin, Julia Malik
21.00 h Talk and discussion: Sherene Seikaly (Moderation), Sinan Antoon, Hassan Khader, Amnon Raz- Kratkotzin
21.45 h Poem recitation: Sinan Antoon, Julia Malik

In cooperation with the research program "EUME: Europe in the Middle East - the Middle East in Europe"