Freedom Lecture: Hamid Ismailov

Hamid Ismailov, a writer and journalist from Uzbekistan, had to leave his country due to its 'unacceptable democratic tendencies'. From afar, he watched as his books were banned and his name erased from public mention. De Balie joins in conversation with Ismailov to talk about dissent-in-exile, the current crackdown of journalistic freedom and civil society, and the alarming environmental degradation in Central Asia.

Freedom Lecture: Hamid Ismailov

Location

De Balie

Kleine-Gartmanplantsoen 10

1017 RR Amsterdam

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Hamid Ismailov

Hamid Ismailov’s writing blends fact and fiction in works that critics have compared to Bulgakov’s satire, Rushdie’s magical realism and Márquez’ storytelling of rural life. His books vividly depict Central Asia’s landscapes: its windswept steppes, nuclear test sites, cities and characters full of color and contradiction.

Today, Central Asians are feeling the effects of their leaders’ close ties to Russia and China and are facing a surge of authoritarianism that is further catalyzed by climate change-induced disasters like floods and severe droughts. Are the destruction of both nature and culture part of the same imperial playbook? What dramatic changes does the region face and what stories do we urgently need to share? What is the role of art in reshaping the future for Central Asia?

Accessibility

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Accessible building