Literature Across Cultures
Minority and refugee literature is part of the rich literary heritage of the Nordic countries. Reading the works of minority and refugee writers helps people to better understand other cultures and people and also develop an understanding of themselves. Minority and refugee writers have found recognition in the list of nominees for the prestigious Nordic Council Literature Prize.
Yet it is clear that 21st-century globalisation processes and the refugee crisis currently sweeping across Europe have affected the way people think on both sides of the Baltic Sea. Different cultural backgrounds and experiences, prejudice and lack of knowledge can lead to misunderstandings and conflicts driven by fear.
As such, “Literature Across Cultures” is a highly relevant topic for this year’s Nordic-Baltic literature forum. The first forum was held four years ago by the Nordic Council of Minister’s Office in Estonia as part of the Tallinn Book Fair.
Sharing their experiences and stories at the forum are, among others:
- Iraqi-born Hassan Blasim, who lives in Finland and writes in Arabic;
- Finnish-Swede writer Mathias Rosenlund;
- writer, journalist and Persian translator Azar Mahloujian, who moved to Sweden over two decades ago;
- Rawdna Carita Eira, a Sámi poet, musician and actor and nominee for the Nordic Council Literature Prize in 2012;
- Kurdish poet Chiman Karim;
- Finnish translator Juha Kulmala.