Between the Lines: Spotlight Series - Jenan

Between the Lines 2015's first session was Russia/Arabic, comprised of 10 Russians from 8 different cities, 14 Americans from 10 different states, 9 Arabic-speaking participants from 9 different countries/territories, as well as 2 Chinese, and 2 visiting young poets from the National Student Poets Program (NSPP) completing the BTL program. Between the Lines (BTL) is a program that brings young writers, aged 16-19, to the University of Iowa for creative writing study and cultural interaction. BTL 2015 brought together Americans, Russians and Arabic-speaking youth in one session. Participants attend courses designed to both increase awareness of world literatures and improve their writing craft, including an English-language literature seminar and a creative writing workshop in their native language. Classes are led by teachers who are respected, prize- winning poets and writers. Weekend events and nightly activities allow students to deepen their understanding of each other’s cultures through their interactions with each other and with the larger community. The program is partially funded through a grant provided by the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs at the Department of the State. All international candidates are selected through a process of nomination and consultation with participating U.S. Embassies and Consulates. For more information on Between the Lines 2016, please visit our website: http://iwp.uiowa.edu/programs/between-the-lines Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/btlwriters Tumblr: http://btlwriters.tumblr.com Twitter: @btlwriters Video interview conducted and edited by Alyssa Cokinis (Between the Lines ICRU Research Fellow '15)