George Town Literary Festival aims to explore the unknown in the world of literature

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THE George Town Literary Festival (GTLF), which is a prominent literary festival, is back this year with the theme ‘Terra Incognita.’ The festival is set to take place from Nov 23 to Nov 26.

 

Its director, Pauline Fan said this year’s theme was derived from Latin words meaning exploring the unknown and aims to delve into ‘unexplored literary territories’.

 

“Terra Incognita is an old term from Latin, used in cartography to map the regions that were unmapped or unexplored.

 

“Literature, in some ways, is the unmapped territory where it allows us to contemplate things that are unknown.

 

“For instance, technology like Artificial Intelligence (AI), which is an unknown, and its implication on traditional writers who use their creative souls to create something,” Fan said during the press conference today at The George Hotel yesterday (July 19).

Meanwhile, Penang Convention and Exhibition Bureau (PCEB) Ashwin Gunasekaran said the GTFL has seen significant growth over the years.

 

“As the 13th edition of GTFL and the eighth time PCEB is producing it, the event has grown by leaps and bounds over these 12 years, from a humble beginning of only five writers to approximately 75 this year.

 

“We are expecting some 6,000 attendees for this festival,” Ashwin said.

 

Caretaker state Tourism and Creative Economy Committee chairman Yeoh Soon Hin said that the festival provides a platform for local and international authors, artists, writers, and thinkers to come together in their state.

 

Yeoh said the festival is designed to be accessible, offering the public the chance to engage with literature for free and it is without any inequalities.

 

“In my perspective, literature is one of the most effective forms of cultural diplomacy as it opens the door to shared experiences that transcend our differences.

 

“The festival further expanded last year to include curators for Tamil and Mandarin panels,” Yeoh said while adding that via GTLF, the state government will continue to promote multilingualism.

 

It is learned that the festival’s main sites include Loft 29 at Gat Lebuh Gereja and Mano Plus at Beach Street.

 

The festival will be curated by reputable figures in the Malaysian literary community, Adriana Nordin Manan, M. Navin and Dr Florence Kuek.

 

For further info please log onto http://www.georgetownlitfest.com/ or visit the festival’s official Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/georgetownlitfest/.

 

Story by Tanushalini Moroter

Pix by Darwina Mohd Daud