Hatem Bourial, a prominent Tunisian literary columnist and author of a number of books, will be at St James Cavalier on Friday 9th May 2014 at 6.30 p.m. to talk about the momentous developments in Tunisia after the December 2010 revolution from the perspective of the arts, as well as his own writings and research. Bourial’s talk is entitled: Tunisia, the Arts and the Revolution. He will discuss the ways the Arts interacted with the Revolution in Tunisia, and whether new patterns and trends have now emerged in Tunisian culture. He will also examine to what extent authors and artists have evolved and gained new spaces of freedom and expression three years after the political change brought about by the Revolution.
On Wednesday 7th May, at 6.30pm, Bourial will be meeting with authors and those interested in literature for an exchange entitled, “From Tunisian to Maltese literature.” This will be held in the Faculty of Arts Library on the second floor of the Old Humanities Building at the University of Malta. The author will be reflecting on the linguistic proximity between Tunisian and Maltese, and looking at the work of some authors from both shores, including a focus on Dun Karm’s journey to Tunisia.
Hatem Bourial, a Tunisian cultural icon, is the author of nine books, a weekly columnist in the Tunisian French weekly Tunis-Hebdo, and a radio and television commentator. Over the years, he has worked for many Tunisian and international papers. He contributes to many independent news magazines and is a frequent commentator on Tunisia’s radio and television, discussing far-ranging topics from culture, to history and literature. Bourial launched Fouq Essour in Tunis, an open space for cultures and literatures of the world, which is still very active today since it opened in 1982.
His visit is being coordinated by Prof. Vicki Ann Cremona, Chairperson of the School of Performing Arts, who first met Mr Bourial in Tunisia before the Revolution, and Dr Adrian Grima, Senior Lecturer in the Department of Maltese in the Faculty of Arts, in collaboration with St James Cavalier.
The sessions are open to the general public, free of charge.
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