Monday 29 November 2010

Meeting in Haifa

From December 1st to 4th I will be – among many other PEN members - in Haifa to attend to the International Meeting of writers for Peace and Freedom of Expression, organized by Ethos under the artistical direction of Prof. Bluma Finkelstein, University of Haifa.

The subject of the meeting is “Words beyond Borders” and many writers and poets of different countries will take part in it.

This initiative is includes in the so called “Holyday of Holydays”, which takes place every year in Haifa during the month of December.

The “Holiday of Holidays” is a festival celebrated when Hanukkah, Christmas and the Ramadan are celebrated by Haifa’s 3 religions. The festival is organized by “Beit Hagefen” Center for Arab-Jewish studies, and is spread over 5 Saturdays starting at the last Saturday of November.

The festival takes place at Wadi Nisnas, which is a Christian-Muslim-Jewish mixed neighbourhood in Haifa, and its main aim is to bring the three religions in Haifa closer, and celebrate the pluralist social structure of Haifa. The festival includes activity for children, as well as poetry and literature tours in Wadi Nisnas.