Ten years of Rencontres Littéraires
A rendezvous with contemporary French literature
Louis-Philippe Dalembert // Photo S. Bassouls
The literary encounter with Louis-Philippe Dalembert will take place on 10 December from 4 pm in the premises of the "Kirche an der Uni" (Gaußstraße 4, Wuppertal). Those interested who cannot be there can take part via video conference (Zoom). The dial-in link is: https://urls.fr/pIOtJm.
Dalembert's literary significance
"Louis-Philippe Dalembert's work is not only remarkable because it addresses current issues, but also because it opens up historical perspectives," explains organiser Marie Cravageot-Mess from the BUW. His novels and poems deal with existential questions of exile and migration, Haitian identity characterised by slavery and social violence in its various forms.
Awards and international recognition
Dalembert is one of Haiti's most popular authors. He has received numerous awards for his literary work and his novels, poems and essays have been translated into over ten languages. "Dalembert not only received France's most prestigious literary prize, the Prix Goncourt, in 2024 for his entire poetic oeuvre, but also numerous other international awards. His worldwide reputation shows that he has become a central voice in contemporary French-language literature over the years," emphasises Marie Cravageot-Mess.
His best-known works include the internationally acclaimed novel "Mur Méditerranée" (Engl: The Blue Wall, Nagel & Kimche, 2021), "Milwaukee Blues" and "Avant que les ombres s'effacent" (Engl: Before the Shadows Fade). In his latest volume of poetry, "Cantique du balbutiement", he takes his readers on a journey back to his childhood in Haiti, characterised by memories of the dictatorship, the central role of his mother and the desire to discover the world through literature.
Ten-year anniversary of the "Rencontre littéraire"
This year's edition of the "Rencontre littéraire" is particularly festive: the organising team and guests are celebrating the tenth anniversary of this project, which has become an important event for French literature in Wuppertal over the years. The organisers cordially invite you to celebrate this occasion in a convivial atmosphere.
More background on the literary encounters at the BUW
Since 2015, the Department of Romance Studies at the University of Wuppertal has been inviting internationally renowned French-speaking authors to discuss their work. Many of them are winners of major French literary prizes, such as the Prix Goncourt, which is considered one of the most important in France. Over the years, the "Rencontres Littéraires" have become internationally recognised and are now one of the largest gatherings of French literature in North Rhine-Westphalia and far beyond. Thanks to video conferencing, interested parties from 15 countries took part in the most recent meetings.
Participation in the events is free of charge. The meetings are held exclusively in French; if desired, there is the possibility of translating questions and answers in the subsequent exchange with the authors.
