Palestine Writes Literature Festival with Susan Abulhawa

<p>SWANA collective members Rana Sharif and David Lloyd speak with novelist and activist susan abulhawa about the first North American Palestinian literature festival, Palestine Writes.&nbsp;abulhawa was the co-chair of the Palestine Writes organizing committee.&nbsp;Held over five days in December 2020, the <a href="https://www.palestinewrites.org/" target="_blank">Palestine Writes Literature Festival</a> offered virtual readings, talks, and performances celebrating Palestinian literature. Listeners can still view its rich and beautifully presented program on the site and its sessions are&nbsp;now permanently available to listen to on <a href="https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=Palestine+Writes" target="_blank">YouTube</a>. According to the Palestine Writes website:</p> <p>"The common threads uniting all participants are the love of books and support of justice for Palestine. Our festival honors the many historic personalities who have walked this path before us, and showcases living voices celebrating Palestinian life, devoted to the belief that art challenges repression and creates bonds between Palestine and the rest of the world."</p> <p><a href="https://susanabulhawa.com/about/" target="_blank">susan abulhawa </a>is a novelist, poet, essayist, scientist, mother, and activist.&nbsp; Her debut novel <em>Mornings in Jenin</em>(Bloomsbury, 2010), translated into 30 languages, is considered a classic in Anglophone Palestinian literature. Its reach and sales have made abulhawa the most widely read Palestinian author.&nbsp; Her second novel, <em>The Blue Between Sky and Water</em> (Bloomsbury, 2015), was likewise an international bestseller.&nbsp; <em>Against the Loveless World</em> (Simon &amp; Schuster, 2020) is out in August. She is also the author of a poetry collection, <em>My Voice Sought The Wind</em> (Just World Books, 2013), contributor to several anthologies, political commentator, and frequent speaker.&nbsp;Abulhawa is the founder of Playgrounds for Palestine, a children’s organization dedicat