R2K invites you to the Worldwide Reading for Edward Snowden
While Edward Snowden is now one of the most famous people in the world, R2K is saddened by the fact that most South Africans wouldn’t be able to name even one SA whistleblower. Pictured is Roberta Nation who was fired from the State Security Agency after reporting fraud.
On the evening of Monday, 8 September, a Cape Town reading will be taking place at the AVA Gallery on Church Street as part of the Worldwide Reading for Edward Snowden initiated by the International Literature Festival Berlin (ilb).
Over 200 authors across the globe have expressed their support and participation in this global day of readings, which will be unfolding in cities across the world, from Paris to Reykjavik. The readings are being hosted in support of ‘liberty and recognition’ for Snowden, the whistleblower who leaked classified information from America’s National Security Agency (NSA) in order to reveal the extent of global surveillance programmes’ infringements on the privacy of individual citizens. Snowden, whose US passport has been revoked, is currently living in Russia and seeking asylum in the European Union.
Readers across the world will be reading the same text supplied by the ilb – a selection excerpts from interviews with Snowden, his manifesto and related comments. We are proud to announce that our readers will include: author and Chancellor of the University of Johannesburg Njabulo Ndebele, activist and co-director of Ndifuna Ukwazi (Dare to Know) Zackie Achmat, leading cartoonist Zapiro, author Henrietta Rose-Innes, performer and satirist Masello Motana, author and researcher Christi van der Westhuizen, Public Lead for Creative Commons South Africa Kelsey Wiens, Creative Director of Artscape Mandla Mbothwe, and Vinayak Bhardwaj, formerly of the M&G Centre for Investigative Journalism (amaBhungane) which recently won South African investigative journalism’s highest honor, the Taco Kuiper prize. Please join our Facebook event page for further updates: http://bit.ly/snowdenCT.
This downtown event has been co-organised by writer/editor Alexandra Dodd, online content specialist Anne Taylor, and Right2Know’s Western Cape organiser Vainola Makan, and generously hosted by the AVA Gallery. We initiated this Cape Town reading as we believe there is no freedom without privacy, and the global issues of surveillance, the protection of civil liberties and freedom of expression have special pertinence in a South African context.
We are proud to have Right2Know on board as a partner in the reading, as our shared aim is to raise awareness in support of transparent governance, open/active democracy and respect for those whistleblowers who have taken risks to expose fraud, corruption and wrongdoings within the state and parastatal apparatus. Mark Weinberg from Right2Know will be present at the event to highlight the important work they are doing in South Africa.
The reading is scheduled for 5.30 for 6pm on Monday, 8 September at the AVA Gallery on Church Street in Cape Town, and will be taking place in full solidarity with the PEN event at Kalk Bay Books the same night. Many cities will be hosting several readings on the same night. See http://www.worldwide-reading.com (and click ‘en’ for the English version).
Spier will be supplying the wine, and snacks have been generously sponsored by Heinrich-Böll Foundation Cape Town, funder of this event.
CONTACTS:
Alexandra Dodd (independent):thisalexandradodd@gmail.com or 072 465-7793
Anne Taylor (independent):at.brand@gmail.com or 083 264-4565
Vainola Makan (Right2Know):vainola2@gmail.com or 079 648-1725
Brenton Maart (AVA):brenton@ava.co.za
MORE INFORMATION:
See http://www.worldwide-reading.com/ (and click ‘en’ for the English version)
Facebook Event Page http://bit.ly/snowdenCT
