Taking Flight – Dreams of Democracy

Born free?

Walid El Khachab and Jackleen Salam

5:30pm

Saturday, September 23

60 mins

Considering the decline in demand for Arabic poetry from publishers, did this push poetry to resign from its old roles, as a voice for the oppressed, the forgotten and the powerless? Did Arabic poetry quit the idea of change and the yearning for freedom, or did it take on new roles and forms? Is writing poetry in the mother tongue, in the country of immigration, a restriction that shackles the poet or is it a wing that makes them fly.

Two Arab poets living in Canada will join us to find answers to these questions and more.

Walid El Khachab, a Egyptian Canadian professor and poet, and Jackleen Salam, a Syrian Canadian poet. There will be Arabic poetry readings during the event.

Moderated by Samar Samir Mezghanni.

Please note, the time of this event has changed. It will begin at 5:30pm.

Books will be available for sale at the event courtesy of Teama Publishing.

خلقت طليقا: جلسة عن الشعر العربي في المهجر مع جاكلين سلام و وليد الخشاب

في ظل انحسار الاقبال على الشعر من الناشرين في مقابل انتعاش حال الرواية، وضمن هذا الشعور العام بتراجع أحلام الشعوب العربية بسبب الانتكاسات السياسية المتتالية، هل دفع هذا بالشعر إلى الاستقالة من أدواره القديمة؛ كصوت للمقهورين والمنسيين والضعفاء؟ هل استقالت القصيدة من فكرة الالتزام بقضايا الشعوب وتوقها للحرية أم أخذت أدواراً وأشكالا جديدة؟ وهل أنّ كتابة الشعر باللغة الأمّ في بلد المهجر قيدٌ يكبّل الشاعر(ة) أم جناح يحلّق به(ا) بعيدا عن الغربة؟

كل هذه الأسئلة وأخرى تُطرح على صوتين من الأصوات الشعرية العربية في كندا؛ وليد الخشاب (مصر – كندا)، جاكلين سلام (سوريا – كندا) وتتخلل اللقاء قراءات شعريّة باللغة العربية.

This event will be followed by a book signing.

Conversation

Multilingual

Poetry

How to attend

$39.99

Single Day Pass

$69.99

Weekend Pass

$249.99

Full Festival Pass

Students and youth save up to 50% on passes.

Two Arab poets living in Canada will join us to find answers to these questions and more.

Walid El Khachab, a Egyptian Canadian professor and poet, and Jackleen Salam, a Syrian Canadian poet. There will be Arabic poetry readings during the event.

Moderated by Samar Samir Mezghanni.

Please note, the time of this event has changed. It will begin at 5:30pm.

Books will be available for sale at the event courtesy of Teama Publishing.

خلقت طليقا: جلسة عن الشعر العربي في المهجر مع جاكلين سلام و وليد الخشاب

This event will be followed by a book signing.

Conversation

Multilingual

Poetry

Featured Authors

Walid El Khachab

Walid El Khachab has published in Cairo four poetry collections in Arabic: The Dead do not consume (Al Mawta La Yastahlekoon, 2001); She who is (Allati, 2013); Sudden Moon (Qamar Mofajei’, 2015), I’timad’s Booth (Koshk I’timad, 2019). In 2022, his monograph about legendary Arab comedian Fuad al-Mohandes The Arachitect of Joy (Mohandes al Bahga) was released at Dar al Maraya publishing house, Cairo. He also translated into Arabic Canadian poet’s Mon Latif Ghattas collection, Les Chants du Karawan, and Canadian poetry theorist Paul Zumthor’s Introduction à la poésie orale. He teaches Arabic Studies at York University