Welcoming Address: Matthias Pees (Director Haus der Berliner Festspiele)
Introduction: Lavinia Frey (Director ILB)
Greetings: Boualem Sansal (Patron of the 26th ILB)
Opening Speech: »Singing in the Dark« Jeet Thayil (Curator in Residence)
With musical accompaniment by the ILB House Band
What can literature accomplish in turbulent times? Jeet Thayil speaks about the role it plays for humanity in expanding horizons and perspectives to help us navigate historical and present-day uncertainties. He suggests: «A song, a poem, a story, a painting, an idea can lift us out of ourselves and enable us to see who we are and where we’re from».
The event will be held in German, English, and French, with interpretation provided.