25 years of the internationales literaturfestival berlin – a quarter of a century of world literature in Berlin The 25th international literature festival berlin, ilb for short, is celebrating its 25th anniversary from 11 to 20 September 2025 with the anniversary program »A Quarter of a Century of World Literature«: The focus will be on readings and discussions with Abdulrazak Gurnah, Herta Müller, Isabel Allende, Mieko Kawakami and Arundhati Roy – award-winning authors from various literary traditions who will present their latest works, provide insights into their work and reflect on central themes of the present day. Advance ticket sales for selected highlights of the anniversary program will start on 22 May 2025, even before the official start of sales in July. Also new this year is the Early Bird Festival Pass, available until July 31, 2025.
This year’s Curator in Residence with her own events is the Mexican-American author and Pulitzer Prize winner Cristina Rivera Garza. The 25th ilb brings together 130 authors from around 40 countries worldwide with around 110 events and workshops. The ilb is more than just a literature festival – it is a place of exchange, inspiration and shared experience.
The patron of the anniversary edition of the international literature festival berlin 2025 is Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier.
The full program will be published in July at www.literaturfestival.com Tickets and the Festival Pass are available at all known advance booking offices, by telephone on +49 30 254 89 100 and online at www.berlinerfestspiele.de/besuch/tickets.
The Festival Pass (Early Bird until July 31 from €60) entitles the holder to admission to all non-sold-out events. For a fee of €2 per event, admission is guaranteed even if an event is sold out 11.9.2025 | FESTIVAL OPENING
Opening speech by Cristina Rivera Garza
12.9.2025 | ANNIVERSARY REVUE
A look back at 25 years of ilb
13.9.2025 | ABDULRAZAK GURNAH*
The Art of Writing – Reading & Talk
16.9.2025 | ISABEL ALLENDE (digital)
My name is Emilia del Valle – Reading & Talk
17.9.2025 | AN EVENING WITH HERTA MÜLLER
Film & reading & talk
18.9.2025 | MIEKO KAWAKAMI
Das gelbe Haus – reading & talk
SAVE THE DATE
22.10.2025 | ARUNDHATI ROY
Meine Zuflucht und mein Sturm
A co-production with the Deutsches Theater Berlin The LOTTO Foundation Berlin makes the realization of the anniversary program possible.
*The German book premiere of “ Diebstahl ” (t: Eva Bonné), the new novel by Nobel Prize winner Abdulrazak Gurnah, is being organized by the Lit:Potsdam literature festival. It will be celebrated with a public reading on 11.9.2025 at 19:00 in the Nikolaisaal, Potsdam. Tickets go on sale in May.
A quarter of a century of world literature -internationales literaturfestival berlin launches advance sales for selected highlights of the anniversary program
