Organised by British Council
London Book Fair is online this year. On 30 June, the focus falls on making words travel, with a programme addressing writers, translators, and the ways that books can travel across borders. The British Council is partnering with English PEN and the Literary Translation Centre on three free events as part of this day.
Register for free entry to all events
Writers at risk: publishing and the duty of care
9:15-9:55 BST
Tamara Zimet (Edinburgh Book Festival), chaired by Dan Gorman (English PEN)
The shift to digital that has taken place over the past year has opened up a global audience for festivals and publishers. However, with increased access must come increased awareness that some writers face of the risks of appearing on public platforms when living in countries with oppressive regimes. What is the duty of care that UK based publishers and festivals take on when programming on publishing these writers? And how best to safeguard writers and audiences whilst still presenting voices that often desperately need to be heard?
Closing the translation gap – translating in a second or additional language
9:40-10:10 BST
Kavita Bhanot, Jenna Tang, chaired by Marta Dzuirosz
Second language or "L2" translation is widespread all over the world, but can be viewed as second rate to a 'native' or original language in literary translation. This panel will discuss why the publishing world needs to embrace L2 translation as part of efforts to widen access to publishing, L2 translation as a career, and how to model a more inclusive approach.
Literary Censorship: the hidden frontiers
12:20-13:00 BST
Mark Gevisser and Sarah Clarke (Article 19)
Censorship is on the rise around the world, quite often in countries where freedom of expression might be assumed to be protected. In this event, join Sarah Clarke from Article 19 in conversation with Mark Gevisser, author of The Pink Line on the world’s queer frontiers, and hear from two writers battling censorship in their own countries.