City Hub’s guide to the Sydney Writers Festival – our top picks
Reporting from the inside
Join award-winning Australian journalists Elisabeth Wynhausen, David Lesser and Anna Krien as they deconstruct the myth of objectivity in journalism. Objectivity has come to mean being a mouthpiece for the powerful.
Thursday, May 19, 10am-11am, Sydney Dance Company*, Studio 4, Pier 4/5, FREE
The Dissident Café: Tweeting from the Middle East
Anna Perera, Waleed Aly, Sara Haghdoosti and Farid Farid will talk about the role of social media in Tunisia, Egypt, Libya, Bahrain and Syria.
Use the Twitter tag #swfcafe to join the conversation with activists and bloggers in Egypt.
Thursday May 19, 4pm-5pm, Club Stage, Pier 2/3, FREE
For Those Who’ve Come Across the Sea
A timely topic after the burning of Villawood last month. George Megalogenis, Robert Manne, Waleed Aly and Michael Sexton SC discuss humane and compassionate alternatives to locking up asylum seekers and refugees in detention camps.
Thursday, May 19, 1pm-2pm, Sydney Dance Company, Studio 2/3, Pier 4/5, FREE (The refugees)
An Evening with Ingrid Betancourt
Ingrid Betancourt speaks to Anton Enus about her six terror-filled years as a hostage in the Colombian jungle.
Thurs, May 19, 8pm-9.30pm, Sydney Opera House, Concert Hall $45/$35
Write a Revolution
Spoken Word artists, slam poets and lyricists Candy Royalle, Kelly-lee Hickey, Dominic Brook, Rives, Miles Merrill talk about using their voices for social change.
Sat, May 21, 11.30am-12.30pm, Sydney Dance Company, Studio 1, Pier 4/5, FREE
Struggle without hate
Palestinian doctor Izzeldin Abuelaish was born and raised in the Jabalia refugee camp in the Gaza Strip. His three daughters were killed by an Israeli rocket attack during Operation Cast Lead two years ago. He speaks with community cultural development worker Paula Abood about ways to stop the cycle of violence.
Sat, May 21 , 11am-12am, Riverside Theatre, Parramatta, $10
Spoken Four
For more spoken word goodness, with Rives, Kelly-lee Hickey, Candy Royalle, Mike Simms and Miles Merrill.
Sat, May 21, 7pm-8pm, Club Stage, Pier 2/3, FREE
Literary Cross-Dressing with Mandy Sayer
Sydney author Mandy Sayer talks with Linda Jaivin about taking the voice of an Aboriginal man and other personae in her novel ‘Love in the Time of Lunacy’. They will discuss breaking the rules and boundaries of identity politics.
Sun May 22, 4pm-5pm, Sydney Theatre, Richard Wherrett Studio, FREE
The Israel Question
Australian journalist Antony Loewenstein and Palestinian doctor Izzeldin Abuelaish discuss while Israel needs to change its strategy.
Sun, May 22, 1pm-2pm, Sydney Dance Company, Studio 2/3, Pier 4/5, FREE
* Sydney Dance Company and Sydney Theatre are at Hickson Road, Walsh Bay.
