The eighth Sauti za Busara (Sounds of Wisdom) music festival in Zanzibar, Tanzania, will take place from Wednesday 9th to Sunday 13th February next year.

The popular festival draws established and up-and-coming musicians from countries across the continent: around thirty of the forty acts performing are from Tanzania or other east African countries while the rest come from countries further afield, such as  Zimbabwe, Madagascar, Mali and Senegal.

Most of the acts will perform in Zanzibar’s historic Stone Town, with a few events taking place elsewhere, including a lively carnival-style street parade on the first day and a number of fringe events across Zanzibar.

There will also be a festival market place with stalls selling food and drink, music and handicrafts; networking events and workshops; and a series of artistic collaborations reinterpreting Swahili songs.

Admission is free for locals until 6pm and around one euro thereafter. Prices vary for international visitors.

For more information and the provisional line up, see the festival’s website, http://www.busaramusic.org/festivals/2011/index.php

Born Radical

Date:18 November

Venue:Brighton Dome, Church Street, Brighton

Time:7.30pm

Tel: 01273 709709

Tickets: £12.00 (£10.00 concessions)

http://www.brightondome.org/showdatescombo.aspx

Clare Short talks to Nawal El Saadawi about her novels, non-fiction books and issues that the Egyptian feminist and activist has fought for all her life. A powerful meeting of two giants from literature and politics.

CREATIVITY, DISSIDENCE AND WOMEN -
A COURSE WITH NAWAL EL-SAADAWI

Date: 19-21 November 2010

Venue: Goldsmiths College, London

A rare opportunity to be taught by Writer and Activist Nawal el Saadawi.
Nawal el Saadawi is a popular speaker and writer in the UK. For the first time ever she will be facilitating a course on her specialised area, creativity  and dissidence. Places are limited and will be offered on a first come first served
basis.

This course is suitable for writers and non-writers who are interested in these themes and is based on facilitation and discussion between Nawal el Saadawi and participants. The course is open to men and women.

The course will start on

Friday 5pm – 9pm
Saturday from 10-4pm
Sunday from 10- 4pm
Registration is at 4.00pm on Friday 19 November

This course relies on discussion and participation between Nawal el Saadawi and the students and will cover the following themes:

• What   is   creativity ?
• what    is   dissidence ?
• are   men    more   creative   than   women?
• what    is   the  relation   between   creativity  and   dissidence?
• role  of  knowledge    in   creativity
• role   of   religion
• what   are   the  obstacles    to   creativity ?
• creativity      and    social    revolution
• creativity    and    political    activism

Reading    list   for  students   before    the   course :

Woman at Point Zero and ‘God Resigns at the Summit Meeting’ (included in The Dramatic Work of Nawal El Saadawi) – Saqi Books,London

Course costs from £50 (concessions) to £150 (full payment).

Concessions available for members of AWA, full time students, subscribers to Mslexia and Sable magazines.

Contact africanwritersabroad@yahoo.com for booking form or download here: Nawal Course Registration Form (757)

The course is financially supported by Arts Council England and Mslexia Magazine, in collaboration with Goldsmiths, University of London.

Friday 20 November

6pm AWA meeting – Southbank Centre, Queen Elizabeth Hall Foyer , London SE1.(not the Royal Festival Hall but as you face it, the building on the left, where the Purcell Room is)

Nearest underground: Waterloo or Embankment

Agenda – Aims and objectives of the Centre;AWA Achievements;Taking the Centre forward; officer roles; membership; future projects and progammes. How to get involved. We look forward to hearing your ideas and suggestions.

7.30pm AFRICAN WRITERS’ EVENING feat. Nadifa Mohammed & a parade of emerging writers
Friday 20 November 2009, 7.30pm
Weston Pavilion, (top floor – usually used as a ‘corporate’ space). Royal Festival Hall, Southbank Centre, Belvedere Road, London SE1 8XX
FREE (Invitation only – please send your name by e-mail to events@x-bout.com)
Info: www.x-bout.com/awe

For our annual finale, African Writers’ Evening returns to its exploratory origins – with four short readings from emerging writers, followed by a featured reading from Nadifa Mohammed, a Somalian writer who is herself still waiting for the release of her first novel by HarperCollins. Hosted by Nii Ayikwei Parkes.

AUTHOR BIO:

NADIFA MOHAMED - Born in Hargeisa, Somalia in 1981 as the country fell into dictatorship, Nadifa Mohamed moved to London with her family in 1986, just before the beginnings of civil war as Siad Barre lost his grip on power. She was educated in London and went to Oxford to study History and Politics. Her début novel, Black Mamba Boy, based on the true story of her father’s life in 1930s, was acquired by HarperCollins UK in 2008.. Nadifa is currently working on her second novel.

END