Tokyo event celebrates literature of EU nations
![](https://japannews.yomiuri.co.jp/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/eiji-tom10146783.jpg)
Paula Meehan
9:25 JST, November 24, 2022
Can free speech save the world? The idea came up in the opening minutes of the European Literature Festival, which kicked off on Tuesday night in Tokyo with an onstage dialogue between Dutch historian Rutger Bregman, whose books include “Utopia for Realists,” and University of Tokyo Prof. Kohei Saito, whose “Marx in the Anthropocene” will soon be published in English.
The theme of the event, which continues through Sunday, is “100 Years of European Literature: Europe Then and Now,” as 2022 is the centenary of such milestones as the birth of Portuguese novelist Jose Saramago and the publication of Irish novelist James Joyce’s “Ulysses.”
Bregman said the current situation in Europe, particularly Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, has reminded him of “just how incredibly precious and important democracy is, freedom of speech, freedom of association.”
Referring to his recent study of the antislavery movement in 18th- and 19th-century Britain, Bregman said that “a very small group of thoughtful, committed citizens who dared to risk their reputations” were able to succeed because their society respected freedom of speech. “It’s so important for progress in society that we are willing to discuss ideas that we may not initially like.”
Twenty European Union countries are taking part in the multilingual festival, with events held at venues around Tokyo. Some are also being shown live online. Presentations in English include a Friday talk on “War in Ukraine” by journalist Tomas Forro, who will read from his book “Donbass,” and a Saturday discussion of Greek views of haiku with poet Harry Ioseph.
Several sessions feature leading Irish poet Paula Meehan, including a Sunday event where she will present elegiac verse from “For the Hungry Ghosts,” a collection written in response to “Ulysses” and “through the powerful and deeply personal lens of the grief and trauma she has experienced, inherited and lived,” according to the program.
Admission is free, but those attending are asked to register in advance. For details and to register, visit eulitfest.jp
"Culture" POPULAR ARTICLE
-
Night Parade of Dinosaurs in Tokyo; Lifelike Dinosaurs to Stomp Their Way Through Tokyo National Museum
-
Ueshima Museum, A New Center For Contemporary Art, Opens In Tokyo; Displays Works By Present-Day Artists From Japan And Overseas
-
Art Museums in Japan’s Kansai Region Reopen After Renovations; Many Structures Need Work to Keep Up with Modern Times
-
Indispensable Craftsmanship for Producing Traditional Nara Sumi Inksticks; Going from Doughy Soot to Beautiful Ink
-
Bunraku Plays with Animated Backgrounds to Go on U.S. Tour; Featuring 9 Shows in 5 Cities
JN ACCESS RANKING