“It was what my soul needed” – SMWF ‘24 attendee.
On Saturday 24 February, the Bryan Brown Theatre opened its doors to the long awaited, second official Sydney Muslim Writers’ Festival (SMWF) hosted by ISRA and in partnership with Canterbury Bankstown City Council, Better Read Than Dead and Rising Ridges Construction.
The SMWF served as a dynamic platform for Muslim writers and thinkers to engage in compelling discussions, share their diverse experiences, and celebrate the flourishing literature within the Muslim community.
It was a resounding success, with the help of dedicated volunteers, over 30 distinguished authors and writers, and local Muslim creatives joining us on the day.
The Festival extended over the weekend, in which attendees were given the opportunity to engage, learn and ask questions from the authors, as well as foster a community spirit within fellow aspiring and passionate readers and writers attending.
Saturday, the main Festival Day, targeted all age groups, adults, families, youth, teenagers and school children from different backgrounds. The jam-packed day consisted of an array of riveting author and in-conversation panels, as well as a recreated ‘House of Wisdom’ installation which transported attendees to the iconic library in Baghdad.
Renowned authors including Randa Abdel-Fattah, Mehmet Ozalp and Sarah Malik, poet Sara Saleh and screenwriter Osamah Sami joined us in panels which explored the power of writing as a tool to contest authority, and crafting narratives that amplify Muslim voices.
The final session showcased international guest Khaled Beydoun, who traced the evolution of Islamophobia in a discussion with Dr Derya Iner, author of ‘Islamophobia in Australia’ reports.
As well as this, a pop-up library for children’s books presented by ISRA Children’s Library, allowed younger readers to also take part and engage with the festival.
The Workshop Day running on Sunday 25 February was designed to cater to the needs of emerging and aspiring authors; giving them a chance to learn and ask questions to other established writers and industry professionals.
Attendees found this particularly useful and were very pleased with the day; with one attendee describing her experience: “Yesterday (Festival Day) was gold, and today (Workshop Day) was a diamond for me”.
The Sydney Muslim Writers’ Festival 2024 was an inspiring, resourceful and heart-filling event for all who were involved and that will foster this thriving community of writers and readers for years to come.
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