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On September 7, the 22nd ilb will open with speeches by author, historian and archaeologist David Van Reybrouck and US writer Angeline Boulley.

In his Opening Speech for the 22nd ilb, David Van Reybrouck will analyze the colonization of the future and explore possible ways to combat it: »Even when we will have come to terms with the colonialism of the past, we still would not have done anything about the dramatic way in which we are now colonizing the future. Humanity is conquering and exploiting the next century with the same ruthlessness, the same greed and the same short-sightedness with which continents were appropriated in earlier times.« – David Van Reybrouck

»David Van Reybrouck condenses history and politics to a literary level that makes me envious. Above all, Van Reybrouck’s work is characterized by his curiosity, diligence, unwaveringness, and kindness. I am very pleased and grateful that he will gift us with a speech on the colonization of the future at the opening of the 22nd ilb.”« – Ulrich Schreiber, Festival Director and Head of Program

Also at the Haus der Berliner Festspiele, Angeline Boulley will open the International Children’s and Young Adult Literature section with a speech about accurate representation of Indigenous people in literature, especially for children and teens. This marks her first appearance in Europe and the German premiere of her bestseller »Firekeeper’s Daughter.«

»Angeline Boulley has made a remarkable impact on the U.S. book market with her youth novel ›Firekeeper’s Daughter‹« – Christoph Rieger, Head of Program International Children’s and Young Adult Literature

In previous years, the Opening Speeches of the festival and the International Children’s and Young Adult Literature section have been delivered by Leїla Slimani, Mario Vargas Llosa, Sally Nicholls, and Arundhati Roy, among others. The opening of the 22nd ilb will take place on September 7, 2022 at 6:00 pm at the Haus der Berliner Festspiele, the festival center of the 22nd ilb. The International Children’s and Young Adult Literature section will open on the same day at 09:30 am. Tickets for the festival opening will be available for purchase on August 9 via the festival’s ticket page. Tickets for the opening of the International Children’s and Young Adult Literature section are already on sale to the public.

About David Van Reybrouck

David Van Reybrouck, born in 1971, is a writer, historian and political thinker, sparking international debates with books such as »Against Elections: The Case for Democracy« and »A Plea for Populism«. His magnum opus is »Congo: The Epic History of a People«. In autumn 2022 »Revolusi. Indonesia and the Birth of the Modern World« will be published. Van Reybrouck has been recognized for his works with numerous awards, among them the AKO Literatuurprijs, the Prix Médicis essai, the NDR Kultur Sachbuchpreis, the Premio Kapuściński as well as the European Book Prize. He is honorary chairman of PEN Vlaanderen, director of G1000, a platform for democratic innovation in Belgium, and chairman of FIDE [Federation for Democratic Innovation Europe]. [Federation for Democratic Innovation Europe]. The author received an honorary doctorate from the University of Saint Louis in Brussels and lives in Brussels and Amsterdam.

About Angeline Boulley

Angeline Boulley, born in 1965, is a member of the Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians. She won the prestigious Printz Award for her debut novel, »Firekeeper’s Daughter«, a New York Times bestseller. Other awards include the Walter Dean Myers Award for Outstanding Children’s Literature and the William C. Morris YA Debut Award. Currently, Higher Ground, a production company founded by Barack and Michelle Obama, is preparing to adapt the novel as a Netflix series. According to »Publishers Weekly«, Boulley’s second novel is expected in late 2023 and centers on a heroine character, an »indigenous Lara Croft,« who raids museums to bring home the human remains of her ancestors. Angeline Boulley lives in southwest Michigan.