Free Word

Award-winning journalist Mona Eltahawy, author of the ground-breaking book 'Headscarves and Hymens: Why the Middle East Needs a Sexual Revolution' talks to Programme Producer Sophie about the word "revolution".

Wordsmiths: Jas Kapela by Free Word

Wordsmiths: Bern Roche Farrelly by Free Word

Our climate is changing, caused by what many believe to be the relentless economic exploitation of the planet's resources. What are the social, human and political consequences of these changes and how can Europe act together to help forge an alternative approach?

On 16 March 2016, Free Word and Rethinking Economics held an evening of discussion and spoken word poetry around these issues, inviting responses from economists, social thinkers, poets and the public.

On 10 March 2016, as part of our celebrations around International Women's Day, Free Word's Translator in Residence, Marta Dziurosz, chaired an event on women in translation.

The event featured a panel of translators and publishers including Deborah Smith, Ursula Phillips, Bibi Bakare-Yusuf and Marta Dziurosz, who discussed how we might redress the gender imbalance in international literature, question the canon and make a difference.

On 14 March 2016, Read Paper Republic hosted an evening of speed-book clubbing at Free Word Centre on contemporary fiction from China all about women. We asked people to read the short stories before the event, and come along to share their thoughts and questions with translators. This event also tied in with International Women's Day on 8 March 2016.

Featuring translators Roddy Flagg, Nicky Harman, Emily Jones and Helen Wang.

Wanderlust: Great Literature from Around the World is a monthly event series at Free Word.

To explore the Wanderlust events we’ve held so far and read about (and around) some of the books we’ve featured, click here: https://www.freewordcentre.com/explore/projects/wanderlust

On 10 February 2016, Free Word, in collaboration with Fritt Ord and the Royal Norwegian Embassy, hosted a screening of Deeyah Khan's powerful film, 'Jihad: A British Story'.

The screening was followed by a panel discussion and an audience Q+A involving Deeyah and some of those featured in 'Jihad', chaired by lawyer and cabinet minister Sayeeda Warsi.

This event was part of Free Word's series, 'Unravelling Europe'. Against a backdrop of increasing fragmentation fuelled by anxiety and fear, the conditions and values that underpin our open, democratic societies are under threat. Putting artists at the heart of the discussion, 'Unravelling Europe' sets out to ask: why is this so, what are the consequences and how might we act to counter them?

On 8 February 2016, Syrian author Zakaria Tamer launched his collection of very, very short stories - "Breaking Knees" - at Free Word Centre.

He was joined in conversation with Malu Halasa, a writer and editor, and Alice Guthrie, a freelance literary and media translator as they discussed Tamer's work within the context of themes of repression - of the individual by the institutions of state and religion, and of individuals by each other, particularly women by men.

The panel also discussed contemporary writing in Syria.

Wanderlust: Great Literature from Around the World is a monthly event series at Free Word.

To explore the Wanderlust events we’ve held so far and read about (and around) some of the books we’ve featured, click here: https://www.freewordcentre.com/explore/projects/wanderlust

On 28 January 2016, our Translator in Residence, Marta Dziurosz, held an event for translators at Free Word Centre.

The evening gave translators the opportunity to ask questions about translator contracts and gain practical advice from two professionals in the field - Sarah Burton, Contracts Consultant at the Translators Association (part of The Society of Authors)and James Peake, Contracts Manager for over 30 leading imprints.

Free Word's Translator in Residence, Marta Dziurosz, reads a short story by Irit Amiel to commemorate Holocaust Memorial Day on 27 January 2016.