The international literature festival berlin [ilb] takes place from 8-18 September 2021 live and digitally. The main program starts on 8 September with an opening speech by Leïla Slimani at silent green Kulturquartier, who will also present her new novel. Marianne Kaurin gives this year’s opening speech for the Children’s and Young Adult Literature section.

The 21st ilb takes place from 8-18 September live and digitally. Around 160 authors from all over the world gather in Berlin this autumn for readings, talks and workshops, in person or via livestream. The core sections ‘Literatures of the World’ and ‘International Children’s and Young Adult Literature’ invite guests of all ages to explore some of literature’s biggest names and new talents. In the event series ‘Speak, Memory’ we will present retrospectives of works by classic authors through readings, films and photographs. The program of this year’s literary series ‘Visions of Bioeconomy’, ‘Echo Echo. Indigenous Voices’, ‘Graphic Novel Day’, ‘Identity Politics and Wokeness – Totalitarianism of the “Left”?’ and ‘Words of Love and Hate: Misogyny vs. Female Empowerment’ use the ilb as a forum for discussions of current themes.

The festival program will be published on 22 July 2021 at www.literaturfestival.com, which is also when the ticket sale starts.

The international literature festival berlin is organized by the Peter-Weiss-Stiftung für Kunst und Politik e.V. in cooperation with the festival partners. It is supported by Hauptstadtkulturfonds, Auswärtiges Amt, Bundesministerium für Bildung und Forschung, Fondation Jan Michalski, Heinrich-Böll-Stiftung, Stiftung Frauen in Europa und TuWas – Stiftung für Gemeinsinn, with funds from the federal program Neustart Kultur and other sponsors and cooperation partners.