29-07-2025
Voices of Palestine to feature at Penang's literary festival
Narrative power: (From left) Omar Siddiq, Ooi, Koay and festival manager co-curator Julia Tan posing for the photo after mock cheque presentation at the Penang Institute. —CHAN BOON KAI/The Star
GEORGE TOWN: For the first time, the George Town Literary Festival (GTLF) 2025 will showcase a poet and a writer from Palestine, bringing with them powerful narratives of memory, identity and their stories to the international platform.
Penang Institute executive director Datuk Dr Ooi Kee Beng said Palestinian historian and academic Nur Masalha, along with writer and theatre director Dr Ahmed Masoud are among the featured speakers.
'This year's theme, Urban Myths and Memories, will take on an even richer dimension with their presence,' he said during a press conference at the Penang Institute yesterday.
Ooi said the inclusion of the Palestinian perspective aligns with the festival's ethos of challenging narratives and exploring the role of literature in times of political and social upheaval.
Another highlight of the event will be a unique music heritage exhibition curated by Paul Augustin and created especially for the festival to explore the urban soundscapes and cultural legacies that have shaped Malaysia's musical identity.
This year's programme will feature international and regional collaborations through partnerships with organisations such as Tim Promosi Sastera Indonesia and the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Malaysia.
Ooi said the 15th edition of GTLF will be held from Nov 28 to 30, featuring a line-up of regional and international authors, translators, artists and thinkers.
Among the literary voices from around the world will be Belgian author Lize Spit, Canadian novelist Madeleine Thien, Dutch author Reggie Baay, French author Wilfried N'Sondé, Indian writer Nirmala Lakshman, Bornean-Australian poet and performer Omar Musa, Taiwanese author Yang Shuang-Zi and Singaporean writers Amanda Lee Koe, Ng Yi-Sheng and Shivram Gopinath.
From Indonesia are acclaimed writers Cyntha Hariadi, Ramayda Akmal and Ratih Kumala, whose works span poetry, fiction and screenwriting.
They will be joined by celebrated Malaysian authors such as Bernice Chauly, Tunku Halim Tunku Abdullah and Malachi Edwin Vethamani.
Other distinguished writers are from India, Taiwan and the United States, bringing together voices from at least 12 countries.
Audiences and visitors to GTLF can expect a dynamic programme featuring panel discussions, readings, workshops, book launches, a film screening and an exhibition, all designed to breathe life into this year's theme and connect readers, writers and thinkers from around the world.
The full programme will be available from September via GLTF's website.
Festival events are free and open to the public, with registration details to be announced with the full programme.
During the press conference, Ooi received mock cheques from HSBC chief executive officer Datuk Omar Siddiq and Greatech International chief financial officer Koay Lin Lin.
HSBC and Greatech International are the main sponsors for this year's edition of GTLF.
Ooi said this year, Penang Institute has also run a short-story competition and the interest has been enormous.
'So far, we have received 63 entries from around the world,' he said, adding that the institute would still be accepting entries until its deadline on July 31.
