Randa Abdel-Fattah to Speak at New Adelaide Literary Event in March

Abdel-Fattah, a Palestinian Australian author, will be in conversation with former Writers' Week director Louise Adler, who resigned amidst the controversy surrounding the decision to uninvite Abdel-Fattah due to her comments about Israel and Zionism. The organisers of Constellations, a collective of local booksellers, publishers, and authors, aim to replace the traditional Writers' Week with this alternative event.

Jennifer Mills, one of the organisers, expressed disappointment over how the situation unfolded, emphasizing the importance of hearing directly from Abdel-Fattah about her work, particularly her new novel, Discipline.

The Adelaide Festival board had rescinded Abdel-Fattah's invitation following strong opposition from South Australian Premier Peter Malinauskas, who stated that her inclusion was "not in the public interest." After the announcement of her withdrawal, the festival faced significant backlash, ultimately leading to its cancellation for the year.

In light of this controversy, a new Adelaide Festival board was formed, which subsequently apologized to Abdel-Fattah and indicated that she would be invited to speak at Writers' Week when it resumes in 2027.

Premier Malinauskas commented on the decision to feature Abdel-Fattah in the upcoming Constellations event, stating it is the festival's choice while reaffirming his own stance on facilitating diverse viewpoints.

In addition to her conversation with Adler, Abdel-Fattah will also join a panel titled Rivers of Reason: Blak & Arab Writers in Conversation on March 2, alongside distinguished authors such as Ali Cobby Eckermann and Melissa Lucashenko. The festival will also feature Nobel Prize winner J. M. Coetzee at a mini-poetry festival.