The most difficult surname in the community (postponed until autumn 2021)

As a child, journalist Yohan Shanmugaratnam was unaware that a local librarian practised spelling his surname so that he would not feel different. Nevertheless, he later came to experience the racism which many Norwegians deny exists.

In his memoir Vi puster fortsatt, he talks about his parents’ forbidden love, about moving to Norwegian snow, about growing up and about comradeship. He also describes despair and optimism after incidents like the murder of 15-year-old Benjamin Hermansen in 2001, the 22 July terrorist attack in Oslo and the Black Lives Matter demonstrations. Shanmugaratnam meets author and editor Nazneen Khan-Østrem for a conversation. 

This event will be in Norwegian.