Read My World
About the event
The international literature festival brings together more than 60 writers, artists, musicians, and thinkers in the Tolhuistuin. Through literature, performances, music, and conversations, the festival explores stories from Maluku, West Papua, the Caribbean, and the Netherlands under the theme Oceanic Solidarity. The ocean as a common thread This year, Read My World is dedicated to Oceanic Solidarity. Guest curators Theoresia Rumthe and Dorthea Wabiser (DEFE) take the audience on a journey through stories, perspectives, and artistic practices from Maluku and West Papua. From there, connections are formed with makers from the Caribbean, the Netherlands, and other parts of the world, among others. The ocean forms a common thread throughout the program: as a space of movement and encounter, but also as a carrier of history and memory. Makers explore how colonial legacies, migration, and diaspora continue to resonate in the present and how stories, language, art, and traditions are passed down across generations and continents. Versatile program The program ranges from literary talks and spoken word to performances, music, film, and visual arts. Additionally, there is a book market on Saturday in the garden of the Tolhuistuin, featuring independent bookstores, publishers, platforms, and organizations. Read My World invites visitors to discover new voices and stories, meet each other, and look at the world of today from different perspectives.