Poet Yahia Lababidi reading touching poems from Cairo.
Last night @100TPC (One Hundred Thousand Poets for Change) and @ArabicBookCluborganised an international open mic at Sharjah Book Fair.
It drew a huge crowd of interested bystanders and poetry and readings were performed in at least three languages (Arabic, Malayalam and English) by a diverse group of writers. There were no translations and none necessary, the energy and passion of each performer was enough. It was spectacular!
MC Marwa of @ArabicBookClub
Seeing writers come together to share their work with new audiences and with each other is something I really enjoy. As I said earlier this week, these kinds of events nurture and encourage writers by giving them professional development experience but – vitally – connecting them into the industry and markets they exist in. Writers hanging out with other writers is also important, as a writer without support networks is a very lonely figure indeed.
This event took place at the Sharjah Book Fair ‘Community Centre’, a space in the main atrium of the expo centre where visiting writers have been encouraged to come together. I’ll be hanging out there pretty much full time tonight and tomorrow, soaking up the #SHJIBF vibe before the festival closes on Saturday night. Come and say hi if you’re in the area!
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