2011 Between the Lines

2011 saw the most diverse set of BTL participants to date, representing Algeria, Bahrain, Egypt, Israel, Lebanon, Morocco, Saudi Arabia, Syria, and Tunisia. In addition to their creative writing study in both English and Arabic, students took part in a variety of activities ranging from a discussion of the events of the "Arab Spring" to a tour of an authentic Mississippi River tugboat to a children's-bookmaking workshop hosted by youth nonprofit 826 Chicago. For most of them, this was their first visit to the States, and we did our best to make it memorable.

Egyptian poet Yasser Abdel-Latif at the Arabic creative writing workshop.

At Shambaugh House, students discuss the events of the “Arab Spring.”

Panel discussion on “Young Writers and Writing” at the Iowa City Book Festival.

Guest lecturer and Palestinian-American author Ibtisam Barakat leads a class.

Students discuss forms of Arabic and English poetry.

Late afternoon at Oak Street Beach, Chicago.

Students write and design children’s books at 826 Chicago.

The BTL class of 2011. Standing, left to right: Ghada Abdel Aal (chaperone, Egypt), Maha Zeidan (student, Israel), Roua Seghaier (student, Tunisia), Maisa Farid (student, Morocco), Yasser Abdel-Latif (faculty, Egypt/Canada), Lana Najjar (student, Israel), Kecia Lynn (IWP staff), Johnny Yaacoub (student, Lebanon), Abed El Yaacoub (student, Lebanon), Hind Rahmoun (student, Algeria), Khaled Khalifa (faculty, Syria), Mohammad AlHemaid (chaperone, Saudi Arabia). Kneeling, left to right: Sally AlHak (student, Egypt), Saria AlMidani (student, Syria), Hadeel AlHaddad (student, Bahrain), Oussama Ghajjou (student, Morocco).

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High as the Waters Rise, the English translation of the award-winning debut novel of the German poet Anja KAMPMANN (IWP’ 10) covers 'the fallout of capitalism’s dependence on oil' ‘in rich imagery and exquisite language.’ Watch her and her translator in conversation on Tues 9/29/20, 5pm CST.
Alumni Hind SHOUFANI (IWP ’11) and Golan HAJI ( ‘13 ) are among the jury members for the new Barjeel Poetry Prize, inviting all poets to respond to 20 works of Arab 20th c art. The competition is open 8/15- 9/30 2020.
Just out, The Bitch, by Pilar QUINTANA (Colombia, IWP ‘11), translated from the Spanish. Ms. Quintana is also among the current mentors for IWP’s Women’s Creative Mentorship Professionalization Project.
Cultural entrepreneurship at its most admirable:Kristian Sendon CORDERO (IWP ’17), book seller, beer brewer, publisher, gardener, Bikol translator, screenplay author and poet extraordinaire on his Savage Mind in Naga City (The Philippines).
Between July 18 and July 25, the 2020 digital iteration of the Cathay Arts Festival will include free access to two dance performances by Taiwan’s Cloud Gate Dance Theatre, one of them the career retrospective of its founder, the poet, dancer, and choreographer LIN Hwai-min (IWP’70).

2011 Between the Lines

Between the Lines

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