A series of Taiwan literary salons is organized by the Cultural Division of the Taipei Representative Office (TRO) in Germany from Sept. 22 to Oct. 27, working in conjunction with the Berlin Asia Arts Festival, Literarisches Colloquium Berlin, National Museum of Taiwan Literature, Taipei Book Fair Foundation, and independent bookstore To-uat Books.
The Cultural Division of the TRO in Germany stated that through seminars on different themes, they aspire to broaden the reach of Taiwanese literature. Intending to push Taiwanese literature into the German market, they will introduce the works of recent Taiwan Literature Awards finalists. Female authors from Taiwan such as 2022 Taiwan Literature Awards winner Kaori Lai (賴香吟), indigenous writer Liglav A-wu (利格拉樂•阿𡠄), comic artist Pam Pam Liu (劉盼妤), and others are invited to join the salons.
Renowned independent bookstore To-uat Books will also engage with the Berlin audience through a talk at the Buchhaendlerskeller on Oct. 14. Focusing on activism and the freedom to publish, they will share the history of democracy in Taiwan, and how independent bookstores played important roles in the progress.
As the conclusive event of the salons, poet Zheng Jiong-ming (鄭炯明) is invited by Taiwan’s Representative to Germany Shieh Jhy-wey (謝志偉) to give a seminar at the Literaturhaus Berlin on Oct. 27. Zheng will talk about works during the White Terror period, telling stories of Taiwan from a different perspective.