Internationally acclaimed Cypriot writer and poet Aydın Mehmet Ali attracted dozens for an evening of talking, sharing ideas, visions, rage and passion for the world. in Hackney, where she lived for over thirty-five years and as an activist, educator, writer and a project manager, she returned as a well-known writer excelling in tackling diaspora, minority issues and women in her books.
She read some of her award winning short stories, poems, life writings and fragments, reflecting on the presented her life stories during the launch.
In this incisive collection of stories, award-winning writer Aydin Mehmet Ali reflects the experiences of women caught up in conflict both personal and political. It is beautifully written yet thought-provoking, giving voice to issues often silenced by taboos. Aydin skilfully uses fiction to raise important and universal political issues.
Who is Aydın Mehmet Ali?
Aydın Mehmet Ali is an intellectual activist, writer and translator. Born in undivided Cyprus now lives between Cyprus (north and south) and London where she sought refuge from a war. Her short stories have appeared in anthologies and books, (e.g. Cultures of Memory/Memories of Culture, Diaspora City, Crossing the Border) and in journals [Kunapipi, 91st Meridian, Cadences, Exiled Ink, Index!]. Her poetry translations have appeared in international publications (Poetry Library, Agenda, Modern Poetry in Translation Mother Tongues and EU magazines) and performed across the world. She has performed her work internationally (incl. Poetry Café, Soho Theatre, October Gallery, Waterstone’s, Fawcett’s Women’s Library), universities (Liege, Birkbeck, Sussex, Kent, Cyprus) and community centres. She is an advisory editor of Cadences literary journal. She set up and managed many empowerment projects in the UK and Cyprus focusing on young people, women, education and the Arts. The Way we are (2003-2004), a photographic project with children in Ayia Triada/Sipahi, Cyprus was targeted by the military. She is a passionate activist for justice and multi-cultural, multilingual communities and against militarization of communities and societies, especially in Cyprus, the Diaspora and the Middle East. She has worked as a chief education officer, international education consultant, arts projects manager, and as adviser to the London Mayor, universities, schools and Local Education Authorities. She is the author of Turkish Speaking Communities & Education – no delight and the editor of Turkish Cypriot Identity in Literature. Her latest publication, Forbidden Zones (2013), is a highly praised collection of short stories. She is the founder and director of Literary Agency Cyprus (LAC) and Whirling Words, a project for women writers. Her most recent project is, Writing Nicosia… beyond barriers, a multicultural Anglophone literary and film project writing and performing on the streets. She is working on two books, Intellectual Fragments and an anthology, Writing Nicosia… beyond barriers.
