Speculative fiction: Imagining a future through literature

The Netherlands Institute in Morocco (NIMAR) and the Embassy of the Netherlands in Morocco are pleased to invite you to a panel discussion between Moustapha Laghtiri and Max Urai, who reflect on the role of speculative fiction in the Netherlands and Morocco. The event will take place on Sunday, May 12 at 3:30 PM at Espace Kitab (SIEL).

Synopsis

This panel discussion will unite speculative fiction writers from Morocco and the Netherlands to ponder the significance of speculative fiction and its connection to the literary heritage of both nations. The dialogue will explore the influence of folktales and other literary legacies on crafting speculative fiction, the unique aspects of writing within the genre, and the "translatability" of speculative fiction.

Speaker Moustapha Laghtiri

Moustapha Laghtiri (1965) was born in Casablanca and is a Moroccan short story writer who graduated from the Faculty of Arts and Human Sciences. He has authored three short stories: "A Woman's Hallucinations" (2001), "A Little Bit Of Shame" (2004), and "A Parasol On A Tomb" (2006). Laghtiri is a member of the Moroccan Writers Union and has been honored with the Al-Naman Literary Award from Lebanon.

Speaker Max Urai

Max Urai (1991) works as a Dutch writer, teacher and activist. In 2023 he won the C.C.S. Crone stipend from the city of Utrecht. His work appeared in De Gids, the Dutch Book Guide and Tijdschrift G., and on Sample-kanon, rekto:verso, Mr. Motley, hard//head and The Reactor. He studied film studies in Utrecht and Creative Writing at ArtEZ. As a member of the evening editorial staff of Perdu, he made programs about science fiction. He was selected for the Paris residence of deBuren and was on the jury of De Boon. He currently teaches sci-fi writing at Parnassos and is working on his debut novel about shopping centers at De Geus.

Moderator Desiree Custers

Desirée Custers (1993) holds an M.A. in Conflict Studies and Human Rights from Utrecht University in the Netherlands. She is a Nonresident Fellow with the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) program at Stimson. Before joining the Stimson Center, she worked as a Program Assistant at The EastWest Institute’s Middle East and North Africa Program in Brussels.

Moderator Yassine Adnane

Yassin Adnan (1970) is a Moroccan writer and broadcaster. As a journalist, he has been engaged with the Moroccan cultural scene since the 1990s, publishing literary magazines and hosting the television programme Masharif from 2006 onwards. He has written books of poetry, short story collections, and works of nonfiction