Was in Istanbul 11.24-29, European Writers’ Parliament

Between the 24th and the 29th of November this year, I had the honour of participating in the European Writers’ Parliament in Istanbul, in cadre of the Istanbul, European Capital of Culture 2010 programme. It was an interesting experience, and an exhilirating visit to a city of 16 million inhabitants which seems to be functioning quite smoothly for it’s proportions, and of course boasts more history and more beauty than probably any other city in the world. (Being some kind of a self-made specialist on Venice, I don’t consider myself unprepared for architectural beauty – but this was something else, believe me.) You can see my photos behind this link. The main result of the meeting was a formation of the Istanbul 2010 Declaration, which you can read behind the link. Other non-touristical benefits of the trip were the aquaintance of the bright and talented writers Hari Kunzru (Britain), Sjón (Iceland) and Jonas Hassen Khemiri (Sweden), just to name a few.