Interview - Ben Okri

As a journalist for The Guardian and a writer with a gift for satire and pastiche, Jon Crace feels that through literature, we become more human. John celebrates literature as the most eloquent tool we have. We think in language, we live our lives in language; and literature is words on the page that can change our lives. He also delights in the fact that the next persona to be featured on the new ten-pound note in England and Gibraltar will be a novelist – Jane Austen.

Renowned journalist and ex-Chief News Correspondent for the BBC News, Kate Adie cherishes our ability to dream and to reflect. Kate reflects on how we have the unique ability of putting our thoughts into words because they can be printed, passed around and shared in a very personal way that surpasses even conversation. She also maintains that literary festivals are incredibly important forums for discussing life.

American-born Chinese chef, author and television show presenter, Ken Hom, speaks of using food to expose people to other cultures. Ken believes that through food he can talk about history, social trends and issues in which he’s interested including world sustainability and wastage. A great proponent of how literature promotes food, thereby inspiring the reader to learn more, Ken was honoured to be a part of such a prestigious literary festival.

British historian, journalist and broadcaster, Peter Snow, speaks of how literature and reading are central to everybody’s life. Peter waxes lyrical about what a marvellous instrument a book is, always guaranteed to take the reader into a different world – and to make everyone who cares about the world, tick. Peter regards Gibraltar as his second home and is delighted to see it ‘diving into culture’ with events such as the literary festival.

Writer, radio and television presenter, Hardeep Singh Kohli, speaks about his passion for food… and the story behind every dish. A visitor to the recent Gibraltar Literary Festival, where he spoke about his love of spices at a Spice Workshop, Hardeep opens our eyes to how food tells stories and how we should use food to remind ourselves of those stories. Ultimately, by eating more healthily, we can create more interesting stories.

Nigerian poet and novelist Ben Okri on the relevance of his talk at the Gibraltar Literary Festival. Considered one of the foremost African authors in the post-modern and post-colonial traditions, Ben likens literature to ‘the magic thread’ in the mysterious labyrinth of life. For Ben, Gibraltar was the most appropriate location to speak of the conjunction of Africa and Europe.

Robin Hanbury-Tenison, an author and an explorer with a conscience, on the Gibraltar Literary Festival. Robin Hanbury-Tenison talks about modern explorers, his own experiences with various tribes, his time in the rainforest, and his love of literature. He’s an ardent believer that discovering the world and bringing back that information, changes attitudes towards it. He also discusses his hopes for the literary festival in the future.

Joanne Harris, acclaimed authoress of the award-winning ‘Chocolat’, on the Gibraltar Literary Festival. Joanne talks about her passion for literature. She firmly believes that stories are what enable us to communicate with each other and to understand different cultures. Joanne also discusses her interest in Gibraltar and its beauty, together with its simulating sense of eeriness from a storyteller’s perspective.