The written word has the power to change both hearts and minds. How does the transformative power of literature work? How has it been used to support Palestinian identity and rights and how might literature been used to try to negate it? What is the role of publishers, agents and publicists in this process and how have Palestinian writers been marginalized? How have Palestinian writers been able to break through despite these and other obstacles?

This panel features four Palestinian writers who will not only share personal stories that influenced their writing, but also reflect on the future of Palestinian literature. 

Saleem Haddad was born in Kuwait City to an Iraqi-German mother and a Palestinian-Lebanese father. He has worked with Médecins Sans Frontières and other international organisations in Yemen, Syria, Iraq, Libya, Lebanon, and Egypt. His first novel, Guapa, was published in 2016, a political and personal coming-of-age story of a young gay man living through the 2011 Arab revolutions. The novel received critical acclaim from the New Yorker, The Guardian, and others, was awarded a Stonewall Honour and won the 2017 Polari First Book Prize. Haddad was also selected as one of the top 100 Global Thinkers of 2016 by Foreign Policy Magazine. His directorial debut, Marco, premiered in March 2019 and was nominated for the 2019 Iris Prize for ‘Best British Short Film’.

You can also support Saleem’s work by subscribing to his Patreon, where you can access a monthly newsletter, see live readings and Q&As, and read upcoming published writing and works-in-progress.

سليم حداد

ولد سليم حداد في الكويت لابوين فلسطينين ولبنانين عام 1983. يعمل ككاتب وعامل اغاثة. تدور احداث روايته الاولى جوابا الصادرة عام 2016 عن 24 ساعة في بلد عربي لم يذكر اسمه. ويحتل راسا الدور الرئيسي وهو رجل مثلي الجنس يحاول ان يعيش ويكون حياته من وسط الاضطرابات السياسية والدينية في الربيع العربي.