New sponsor for our Festival of Asian Literature
The audience at the 2013 Asia House Festival of Asian Literature
New sponsor for our Festival of Asian Literature
15 January 2014
The Asia House Festival of Asian Literature, the UK’s only festival dedicated to pan-Asian writing and cultures, has announced an important new partnership with charity The Bagri Foundation.
The Bagri Foundation, which promotes literacy, education and the arts, becomes title partner supporting the Festival and its outreach programmes in schools and libraries for an initial period of 3 years.
The partnership will enable Asia House to expand its schools and libraries programmes and Student Writing Competition outside of London and to promote literacy in areas throughout the UK where there are large populations of Asians and British Asians. Asia House will build on its successful London area schools and libraries programmes which have been part of the Youth Engagement Programmes at the Festival of Asian Literature.
Asia House Chief Executive, Michael Lawrence said: “Asia House is delighted to have formed a partnership with the Bagri Foundation to expand our Literature Festival, one of our signature events. A key aim is to engage and inspire young people, and with the generous support of the Bagri Foundation we will be able to reach out to even more schools and libraries throughout the UK.”
Alka Bagri of the Bagri Foundation said: “Literacy and cultural understanding are becoming increasingly important in our globalised world. The frantic pace of modern life leaves little time for reflection and contemplation, especially of the written word. We therefore hope that our support will allow Asia House to continue its work broadening young minds and inspiring new audiences with the best emerging writing from Asia.”
The 8th edition of the prestigious festival, which last year featured globetrotter Michael Palin and prize-winning authors Mohsin Hamid and Tan Twan Eng, runs from 6-21 May 2014 at Asia House, Rich Mix and London’s Southbank Centre with pre-Festival events throughout April.
The theme for this year is ‘Changing Asian Values’ and the full programme will be announced in March. You can book tickets to the pre-Festival event here.
• The Asia House Bagri Foundation Literature Festival is also supported using public funding by the National Lottery through Arts Council England
• The Bagri Foundation is a UK registered charity whose principal aims and objectives are the advancement of literacy, education and the arts, with an emphasis on those of India, and the appreciation and understanding of Asian countries, their cultures and religions. The Foundation runs rich and diverse cultural programmes and collaborates with other organisations to further its own charitable aims and objectives. Go to www.bagrifoundation.org
