Literary Festivals on Life and Death

The opening of NBO Litfest in Kenya’s capital Nairobi in June 2025 had to be postponed when the capital was overrun by clashes between demonstrators and the police. In Kyiv, the Book Arsenal festival still goes ahead despite the country being mired in war. The globe-spanning Hay Festival organizes literary festivals in Latin American countries such as Colombia, Mexico, and Peru, despite major political unrest, drug wars and riots.

The directors of these festivals – Yuliia Kozlovets from Ukraine, Wanjiru Koinange from Kenya, and Cristina de la Roche from Spain – are coming to LitFestBergen. What motivates them? Why prioritize literary events during periods of war and unrest? What role can literature play in societies experiencing upheaval?

The discussion will be moderated by Teresa Grøtan, festival director of LitFestBergen, and will be held in English.