Friedensnobelpreisträgerin Irina Scherbakowa & Najem Wali: Schreiben & Identität im politischen Asyl (Gespräch)

In the organizer's words:

October 22, 2025 / 7 pm / Literature Café

Writing & identity in political asylum

Talk with Irina Scherbakowa & Najem Wali

Writers resist, they stand up for justice and for free societies. Many of them are persecuted, threatened, attacked, imprisoned, exiled and often killed for this. On this evening, Nobel Peace Prize winner Irina Scherbakowa and Najem Wali, Writers-In-Prison Representative of the PEN Center Germany, will talk about writing and identity in political asylum. What does it mean to stand up for justice and free societies? What does it mean to be exposed to the danger of persecution, threats, imprisonment, banishment and murder?

Irina Scherbakowa, born in Moscow in 1949, is a historian, cultural scientist and Germanist. As a founding member of the human rights organization Memorial, she has shaped the work of the organization for more than 30 years.

Najem Wali, born in Baghdad in 1958, lives in Berlin, writes, translates and is active as one of the vice presidents of PEN Germany and as a representative of Writers in Prison / Writers at Risk.

Admission: 10,- / 8,- EUR. Advance ticket sales from 30.9. at the Box Office in the Haus des Buches (further dates: 2.10., 8.10., 9.10., 20.10., 21.10., each 6.30-7.30 p.m. and on 7.10. 5.30-6.30 p.m.)

Event organized by Literaturhaus Leipzig e.V. in cooperation with the German National Library as part of the 12th "Politics in Independent Theatre" festival

The 12th Politics in Independent Theatre Festival is a cooperation between the Federal Agency for Civic Education, LOFFT - DAS THEATER, Schaubühne Lindenfels, Schauspiel Leipzig, Theater der Jungen Welt and Westflügel Leipzig.

The 12th Festival Politik im Freien Theater is funded by the City of Leipzig. The funding was made possible by the resolution of the Leipzig City Council on the submission VII-DS-06803 "12th Festival 'Politik im Freien Theater 2025 in Leipzig" and by the Saxon State Ministry for Science, Culture and Tourism. This measure is co-financed by tax funds on the basis of the budget adopted by the Saxon State Parliament.

Price information:

Disabled persons and their accompanying person (only if entered in the disabled pass), unemployed persons, pupils and students (up to 35) as well as holders of the Leipzig Pass or an honorary pass are entitled to a discount).