Diverse, compact and enthralling, Sri Lanka is where the worlds best climates, landscapes and vistas are neatly packed in to a small package that is hardly rivalled anywhere else in the world. Renowned as the famed home of visionary science fiction author Sir Arthur C. Clarke since the late 1950s, Sri Lanka has enjoyed a reputation in the subcontinent for being one of the friendliest nations in the region in terms of its ever-grinning population, cuisine, welcoming terrains and attitude.
Underrated as it is treasured among those who know it well, Sri Lanka also spawned the Booker Prize winning author of The English Patient Michael Ondaatje and other literary giants the world has clamoured to claim as some of its finest. So it should come as no surprise that the sandy beached paradise isle will play host to one of the premier literary events, The Galle Literary Festival. Taking place in the picture postcard southern city of Galle within earshot of the World Heritage Site - Galle Fort and the palm scented ocean, the festival attracts literature lovers, renowned authors and bookworms from across the globe annually.
Past participants include Booker Prize winner Kiran Desai, Schindlers List author Thomas Keneally, Sir Alexander McCall and Germaine Greer while other illustrious patrons of the festival include Moses Isegawa, Patrick French, Tarun Tejpal, Alexander Nemser, Jake Oorloff, Margaret Read Macdonald, Pico Iyer, Ann Scowcroft, Christine Manfield, Carl Muller, Dominick Chilcott, Marie Dobbs, Romesh Gunasekara Mark Tully, Sir Arthur C Clarke and Suketu Mehta. The 2010 line-up includes Ian Rankin, Michael Frayn, Shyam Selvadurai, Antony Beevor, Sarnath Banerjee, Claire Tomalin, Wendy Cope, Michelle de Kretser and Mohammed Hanif.
Known as a forum where writers, literary experts and literature fanatics get together to celebrate the magic of the written word, the festival encompasses a range of activities. Guests will feature poetry readings, book reviews and discussions and opportunities to dine with authors in some of the citys finest venues.
With the active participation of authors from Asia, America, Australia, Europe and Africa the festival also introduces audiences to upcoming novelists with seasoned authors, reading excerpts from the works of budding writers.
A myriad of writing workshops also take centre stage at the festival where the finer points of creating a literary masterpiece are explored in detail where audience participation is not only encouraged but a pre-requisite. In a unique forum for authors and fans to exchange ideas and thoughts in an intimate setting, the gourmet dining experiences at the Galle Literary Festival is also much looked forward to. Local chefs prepare the finest delicacies on the menu for participants and authors who share a meal and an experience worthy of envy.
The event also offers a Childrens Festival where well-known childrens authors read to school children and inspire the young ones to put pen to paper and explore their own creative spark. The Galle Literary Festival also presents Festival Anthology with contributions from participants past and present while the citys laid back atmosphere and quaint streets lined with cafs and cosy lounges afford guests the perfect opportunity to acquaint themselves with the works of the festival participants at their leisure.
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