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Carol Ann Duffy, Tom Holland and Nadiya Hussain are among the names lined up to feature in the second Bradford Literature Festival next month.
The 10-day celebration of the "wonderful world of words" will bring together 350 special guests including authors, poets, artists and filmmakers from around the world in 200 events in the heart of Bradford.
Joining Duffy, Holland and "Great British Bake Off" winner Hussain at the festival will be Japanese novelist Minae Mizumura, socialist Harry Leslie Smith, Chinese master caligrapher Haji Noor Deen and Egyptian feminist Mona Eltahawy, among others.
The festival will also host free children’s events and activities in City Park including heritage tours to showcase some of the city’s architectural, cultural and historic gems and a mini-festival of film featuring music, manga, poetry and politics.
Syima Aslam and Irna Qureshi, the festival directors, said: “Bradford has long been a hub for literature, diversity and culture. The richness of our communities, drawn from so many different countries, is the inspiration behind this festival. It is a joy, and a privilege, to curate events that bring guests from around the world to Bradford and showcase the heritage and landscape of Bradford to the world. We all have particular words that resonate with us. A single word – book, music, film, poetry, love, death – can evoke a certain excitement or pathos. Come and experience the wonderful world of words.”
The festival's title partner is Provident Financial Group. The festival is funded by Arts Council England and Bradford Council, with help from the University of Bradford and the festival book partner, Waterstones.
Peter Crook, chief executive of Provident Financial, said: “Landmark cultural events like the Bradford Literature Festival provide a vital forum for discussion and debate, and further understanding of each other and our common humanity. Such events are vital in bringing us all closer together, and of course they also provide an essential opportunity for joy, celebration and learning.”
The festival will take place from 20th to 29th May 2016.