Arab Winter?
Has the Arab Spring been followed by a bleak winter? Civil war is raging in Syria and in Cairo the Tahrir Square comrades have started fighting one another. The differences in the Arab world has deep historical roots. In the 12th century Saladin travelled between Damascus and Cairo to keep his realm together. 800 years later the Egyptian president Nasser wanted to create a unified Arab republic including Syria and Egypt. And ever since the times of Saladin the region has been strongly influenced by external forces. From Mongol invasions in the 13th century to European colonialism and cold war.
The Saladin Days 2013 are dedicated to Syria and Egypt, and the threat of an Arab Winter. We have invited scholars, artists and activists who can inform us of the context and history of these countries in order to help us better understand what is going on there today.
Litteraturhuset