Pyongyang English Literary Festival

The Pyongyang English Literary Festival ("Festival") will be the first ever English language literary festival to be staged in the Democratic People's Republic of Korea ("DPRK") and will be held in September 2012 in Pyongyang, the capital of the DPRK.

The Festival has received the generous support of the relevant authorities within the DPRK and the DPRK Partner Organisation for the Festival will be the Central Committee of the Korean Writers' Union (the "Korean Writers' Union"). The United Kingdom Partner Organisation for the Festival is The Faculty of Middle Eastern and Asian Studies of the University of Cambridge supported by a small committee of experienced volunteers. The Festival is an entirely private undertaking and members of the committee are acting in a voluntary capacity.

The United Kingdom Patron of the Festival is Lord David Alton, a member of the House of Lords and Chairman of the North Korea All Party Parliamentary Group.

The committee humbly seeks your generous financial support for staging of what will be a unique and historically unprecedented event between the DPRK and the United Kingdom.

The Role of Literature in Enhancing Mutual Understanding

The committee recognises that cultural exchange and dialogue can provide a valuable basis for enhancing cooperation between the DPRK and the United Kingdom. Exchanging views about the role of literature and the production, dissemination and reception of the arts in general amongst authors, playwrights, scholars, film-makers, readers, and audiences in our respective societies is, we hope, a valuable way of enhancing mutual understanding.

Aims

The Festival will:

(i) Showcase prominent British novelists and other literary figures to celebrate excellence in British literature, share and help foster an enjoyment and appreciation of some of the finest works of British literature with a Pyongyang audience.
(ii) Facilitate a greater understanding and appreciation of British culture amongst DPRK public audiences and similarly enhance understanding of DPRK culture amongst British participants.
(iii) Help to build bridges and strengthen relations between the DPRK and the United Kingdom.

The United Kingdom is well placed to stage this Festival in partnership with the DPRK. The Festival will take place against the backdrop of the continuing education and promotion of the English language in the DPRK, of which the United Kingdom has hitherto played a significant role. Since the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries in 2000, the British Council has sent English language teaching instructors to some of Pyongyang's top universities and it is understood that English has risen to become one of the most widely taught foreign languages in the DPRK. In addition, British literature is taught widely in schools and universities across the country.

Donations

The Korean Writers' Union is committed to meeting the significant cost of providing suitable venues for the Festival. Therefore all donations will be directed towards meeting other costs and expenses including but not limited to employing on a part-time basis, an experienced Project Co-ordinator and Creative Director, airfare and internal transport, provision of food and accommodation for UK participants, equipment, marketing materials and translators.

The employment of a part-time Project Co-ordinator and Creative Director is vital to the success of the Festival and is an immediate priority. All donations received in the first instance will be used to meet the cost of such appointments with remaining donations to be used to meet remaining costs and expenses.

If you would like to donate on-line, please click here:

If you would like to contribute via cheque, please make cheques payable to the Epiphany Trust and send to:

The Epiphany Trust
St. David's
Park Road South
Newton-le-Willows
Cheshire
United Kingdom
WA12 8EY

If you have any queries, please direct them to pylitfestfundraising@gmail.com.

The committee would like to thank you for your generous support. We look forward to working with you to stage this extraordinary, ground breaking event which we hope will encourage many similar successful exchanges between the DPRK and the United Kingdom.