ReSartus supports the 43rd Erlangen Poetry Festival

The annual Erlangen Poetry Festival, which took place from August 24 to 27, 2023, marks the start of the German “Autumn of Books”. With over 80 authors, literary critics and publicists as well as around one hundred individual events focusing on contemporary literature, the Erlangen Poetry Festival is one of the most renowned literary festivals in the German-speaking region.

In the midst of this literary event, ReSartus plays an important role as an interpreting agency, as writers from abroad also present their literature at the Poetry Festival. To allow the audience to experience the literary work in all its depth, regardless of their language skills, we provide the festival with a professional interpreter for Farsi (Persian). However, this year’s festival is not only a celebration of literature, but also a platform for the voices of the oppressed. The discussion, which will be interpreted by ReSartus, will bring together two remarkable exiled authors who will share their stories of resistance.

Razieh Aghajari, a poet from Iran, fled from state violence and found protection in Turkey. She lived in Istanbul for a year and a half in constant fear of being discovered before coming to Germany in March 2023. Aghajari’s poems, accompanied by background music, focus primarily on the lives of women in Iran, their oppression and their unyielding resistance.

Jiyar Jahan Fard, a narrator from Iran, also takes the floor. He was expelled from a secondary school under pressure from the security forces, but found his way to a diploma in another province. Because of his dedication to the Kurdish language and culture, he was arrested several times until he found refuge in Munich in 2018. His stories, steeped in archaic flair, take the audience back to Kermanshah, the Kurdish region of Iran.

“We are delighted to be taking part in this important cultural event as an interpreting agency,” says Armin Deiri, CEO of ReSartus. “We promote cultural diversity and dialog by breaking down language barriers. Through our services, we enable all visitors to experience the performance in an authentic way.”

The stories of Aghajari and Jahan Fard are an impressive example of the use of literature as a voice of resistance against oppression and perceived injustice. We are honored to be able to make their words heard during the Erlangen Poetry Festival and to make them accessible to a wide audience.

ReSartus is proud to be able to contribute its expertise and commitment to linguistic and cultural understanding in such an inspiring environment. The collaboration with the Erlangen Poetry Festival highlights the ambition of ReSartus to make literature accessible to everyone, across the boundaries of language.