Held from June 22 to 28 at the Venetian Harbor of Hania, the festival returns for its fifth edition under the theme “Worlds in Conflict,” exploring some of the most pressing dilemmas of our time: war and peace, open borders and walls, democracy and authoritarianism, feminism and patriarchy, economic growth and the climate crisis, as well as the relationship between artificial intelligence and human creativity.

Speaking at the festival’s press conference, festival director Manolis Pimplis noted that many of this year’s international participants come from multicultural backgrounds that reflect the tensions shaping today’s world. With 30 international guests attending this year’s edition, he said the festival is now “on a path toward becoming an established institution, perhaps even beyond Greek standards.”

Geopolitical developments will feature prominently in the program. Among the headline events is a conversation between Palestinian academic and politician Hanan Ashrawi and Israeli journalist Gideon Levy. Another panel will bring together Palestinian poet Ghayath Almadhoun, Swedish journalist and Middle East specialist Katrin Ohlsson Ormestad, and physician Christos Georgalas, who has participated in humanitarian missions to Gaza.

The festival will also host discussions on the challenges facing contemporary democracies and the rise of the far right in the West, featuring voices such as Maurice Attia, British-Indian novelist Hari Kunzru, Leonardo Padura, and Greek scholars including Anna Karakatsouli and Giorgos Siakantaris.

Meanwhile, Greek authors Giannis Makridakis, Ersi Sotiropoulos, Elena Maroutsou and Maria Ioannou will examine how conflict, in its many forms, finds expression in literature.

Among this year’s international guests are award-winning British novelist Jonathan Coe, internationally acclaimed Italian author Vincenzo Latronico, Catalan scholar and Cavafy translator Eusebi Ayensa, and Australian novelist Dominic Amerena. The lineup also includes French-Congolese author Éric Mukendi, French crime author Caryl Férey, acclaimed Nigerian-born novelist Abi Daré, and Irish novelist and playwright Niall Williams. Other prominent participants include Booker Prize-winning British author Alan Hollinghurst, German journalist Laura Zwiertnia, and novelist and New York Times columnist Katie Kitamura.

The festival will bring together more than 210 speakers and contributors across approximately 130 discussions, presentations, workshops, screenings and related events. Organizers also highlighted the festival’s pre-festival event featuring Turkish Nobel laureate Orhan Pamuk, which attracted an audience of more than 400 people.

Pimplis argued that literary festivals should increasingly move beyond traditional single-book presentations and embrace broader conversations involving multiple authors and perspectives. He suggested that the prevalence of single-author presentations reflects both writers’ need to connect directly with readers and the format established by the Thessaloniki International Book Fair. 

In this spirit, the 5th Chania Book Festival will also feature thematic events dedicated to literary translation, the international presence of Greek books, poetry and other topics. School participation from across the Hania region will once again play an important role, continuing the work of the 1st Student Conference of Experimental Literary Presentations, organized by the festival last May.

This year’s honored guest will be academic and author Stefanos Trachanas, in recognition of his invaluable contribution to the popularization of scientific thought. The parallel events program will include an art exhibition dedicated to the self-taught folk painter Takis Giannousas, curated by Nadia Argyropoulou and writer Giannis Palavos.

The festival is organized by the Municipality of Hania and the Region of Crete, with the support of the Hellenic Parliament and the Ministry of Culture.

This article was previously published in Greek at kathimerini.gr