15th European Literature Days
16.–19.11.2023 in Krems-Stein an der Donau
Animals and Other Humans is the headline theme of the European Literature Days 2023 +++ Festival opening with Michael Köhlmeier and Anne Sophie Meincke +++ Discussions and readings including with Teresa Präauer, Jan Wagner, Sibylle Grimbert, Bernardo Zannoni, Tara June Winch, Hilal Sezgin and Eva Meijer +++ Prize-giving ceremony of the Austrian Book Trade Honorary Award for Tolerance in Thought and Action 2023 to Philippe Sands.
Has humanity passed its zenith as the ruler of the world? What does that mean for the interplay between nature, humans and other living beings? In the year 2000, the Nobel Laureate Paul J. Crutzen already coined the term Anthropocene and initiated a discussion that continues today to engage scientists and writers around the world: to what extent must humans rethink their self-relationship? And anyway, does the centuries-old claim endure of fundamental differences between humans and animals?
This year international writers and philosophers again accept the invitation for dialogue from the European Literature Days and shed light from various viewpoints on the theme Animals and Other Humans. Michael Köhlmeier and Anne Sophie Meincke talk about the invention of stories by humans and animal-kind, Mara-Daria Cojocaru and Eva Meijer discuss the fourth affliction of humanity and Michal Hvorecky and Sophie Kimmig focus on the dwellers of the night. More discussions and readings continue with Teresa Präauer, Jan Wagner, Bernardo Zannoni, Tara June Winch, Hilal Sezgin and Sibylle Grimbert. The European Literature Days close on Sunday with the presentation of this year’s Austrian Book Trade Honorary Award for Tolerance in Thought and Action to Philippe Sands.
The traditional festival fringe events continue with concerts and guided tours. Selected talks, readings and discussions are available to watch online via livestream. Catch up with the events of the European Literature Days in videos released on okto.tv and the YouTube channel.
The full programme as well as information about tickets are available now online.