Middle Ground: Festival for Literature and Oralture 27.-29.9.2024

Middle Ground: Hargeysa International Book Fair.
Literatures from the Horn of Africa and the Indian Ocean

Poetry, Performances, Readings, Discussions, Workshops, Keynote Lecture, Installations, Open Mic, DJ Set
27.–29.9.2024
Free entry

Haus der Kulturen der Welt (HKW) annually hosts literary festivals from around the world within the framework of Middle Ground. This year, HKW hosts the Hargeysa International Book Fair from Somaliland, bringing literature and oralture from the Horn of Africa and the Indian Ocean to Berlin.

The Indian Ocean (Swahili Sea), situated at a complex intersection of India, Arabian Penisula and the Horn of Africa, has significantly shaped the history of trade, migration, colonialism, and suppression. It is a site of violence and subjugation, yet also a site where the movement of peoples, ideas, and cultures has created a mosaic of literary traditions.

The festival Middle Ground: Hargeysa International Book Fair celebrates the rich literary traditions of the Somali regions while simultaneously acknowledging the current discourses and embracing the complex pluralism that characterizes these areas. 

The three-day programme features workshops, poetry readings, performances, panel discussions, installations, sonic interventions, and more.

Hargeysa International Book Fair (HIBF)

Founded in 2008 by Jama Musse Jama, the annual book fair Hargeysa International Book Fair (HIBF) has grown into a vital event in Somaliland's cultural landscape. Each year, the book fair invites a different guest country.

Beyond showcasing books, the HIBF facilitates poetry performances, while also supporting research projects, translation, and the publishing of oral literatures through the Hargeysa Cultural Centre’s publishing imprint.

With contributions by:

Jumoke Adeyanju, Muna Ahmed, Lubi Barre, Idris Elmi, Amanthi Harris, Amina Jama, Jama Musse Jama, Touhfat Mouhtare, Hafsa Omer, Pachakuti, Jean-Luc Raharimanana, Lemn Sissay, Ubax, Tirsit Yetbarek, Salah Yousif

Interviews and accreditation via presse@hkw.de

Workshops

Crafting Memorable Characters (Submission deadline: 18 September 2024)
Bad Manners: Writing as if Culture Wasn’t Watching (Submission deadline: 18 September 2024)

More information: hkw.de/MiddleGround

Partner

Middle Ground is supported by the Federal Foreign Office.

Haus der Kulturen der Welt (HKW) receives institutional support by the Federal Government Commissioner for Culture and the Media.

Visit Information

Opening Times
Wed.–Mon. 12:00–19:00
Extended opening hours during evening programmes.

Free admission on Mondays and on every first Sunday of the month (Museumssonntag Berlin).

Childcare with programme
HKW offers free childcare for many of its programmes. For further information visit hkw.de

Current information about visiting and accessibility.

Weltwirtschaft Restaurant is open daily, from 12:00–00:00 on weekdays and 10:00–00:00 on weekends.

Contact

Jan Trautmann

Pressesprecher
Lead Communications Officer
Haus der Kulturen der Welt (HKW)
John-Foster-Dulles-Allee 10
10557 Berlin

T: + 49 (0) 30 397 87 157
presse@hkw.de