Join us in the Law Court Square, Galle Fort for the grand opening of the 2nd International Galle Literary Festival.

Location: The Law Court, Galle Fort

French photographer and poet Marc Blanchet brings to life the black & white images from his current exhibition at The Lighthouse Hotel and shares with us the journey he took capturing these incredible images.

Location: Maritime Museum

Sponsored by Alliance Francaise network in Sri Lanka and the
Embassy of France.

Elmo Jayawardena launches his new book Rainbows in Braille, a collection of short stories.

Barbara Sansoni launches Viharas and Verandahs , a record of some of the finest architecture in the island of the last thousand years (before modern times). A few of the buildings have disappeared, and these drawings are their tribute, yet many remain - and for how long?

Introduction by Professor Ronald Lewcock

Two skits:

Manuka Wijesinghe performs an excerpt from her novel Monsoon & Potholes directed by
Indu Dharmasena.

A sneak preview of a forthcoming satirical play Alice on the Lotus Island written by
Asoka Mendis de Zoysa & Sashi Mendis Decosta.

Location: The Hall de Galle

Watch Circles of Violence and join the scriptwriter and director Sam de Silva in conversation with Sharmini Boyle as they give insights into this 45 minute documentary.

This film is a personal exploration that exposes the island’s dark history and tries to make sense of the deeper processes beneath the violence.

Ismeth Raheem, author, architect and artist, gives a detailed overview of the history of Galle Fort.

Location: Mercantile Seamen Training Institute, Galle Fort

Globally renowned architect, conservator and scholar Professor Ronald Lewcock, shares his expertise on Dutch Colonial Architecture with you.

Location: Mercantile Seamen Training Institute, Galle Fort

Indran Amirthanayagam officially launches The Splintered Face, a series ofpems written after the 2004 tsunami.

Introduced by Tracy Holsinger

Location: Dicks Bar at The Sun House

An informal evening of poetry, music and fun. An opportunity for you to recite original poetry. Write down your name as you enter the venue and recite your verse alongside various poets.

Poets: Jeet Thayil, John Mateer, Tishani Doshi,  Indran Amirthanayagam,
Vivimarie VanderPoorten and Sandra Fernando

Featuring: This be the beat – Spoken Jazz

Suman Sridhar: Vocals & Midi Programming

Jeet Thayil: Vocals & Guitar

Compere: Tracy Holsinger

Location: Dicks Bar at The Sun House, Galle

Watch Lagaan an entertaining “not quite Bollywood” story with great music about an Indian village assembling a cricket team in response to a challenge by the British. It is about spirit, inspiration, and cinematic brilliance.

Location: The Lady Hill Hotel, Galle

Jean Arasanayagam launches her latest novel Dragons in the Wilderness the story of a woman's self realisation to discover not just one world but many within the contraints of society and convention.

Rajiva Wijesinha launches The Terrorist Trilogy which brings together Acts of Faith (about the riots of 1983), Days of Despair (about the 1987 Accord and its aftermath) and The Limits of Love (based on the life of Richard de Zoysa)

Introduced by Yasmine Gooneratne
Location: Hall de Galle

Tea: A Pathway to Peace

Join Sarah Scarborough give an inspiring talk on the viability of an age-old trade in the face of a quickly changing modern world.

Location: Mercantile Seamen Training Institute, Galle Fort

Voicing Silence directed by Jake Oorloff. A performance based on teh narratives andexperiences of Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender men and women living in Sri Lanka.

A 45 minute performance.

Location: Pilgrims Lounge, Galle Fort

Be entertained , be challenged and be titillated with comdeian, author and literary critic Nury Vittachi.

Sponsored by My Carbon Stash

Location: The Rampart Hotel, Galle Fort

Voicing Silence directed by Jake Oorloff. A performance based on teh narratives andexperiences of Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender men and women living in Sri Lanka.

A 45 minute performance.

Location: Pilgrims Lounge, Galle Fort

Enjoy music and readings from Ashok Ferrey’s Colpetty People and The Good Little Ceylonese Girl brought to life by Gill Westaway and the author.

Location: The Closenberg Hotel, Galle

Whale Dreamers: A must-see film for all those who care about our planet.

Come and watch this provocative film, a Julian Lennon production and winner of 8 international film festival awards. A powerful portrayal of how the events of September 11, global warming and the ensuing war on terror are destroying us.

Meet scriptwriter and director Kim Kindersley, as he gives us insights into this powerful film.

Location: The Ball Room, The Lighthouse Hotel

Writers are often multi-talented creatures, harbouring secret skills and quirky pasts. The Light House Hotel will play host to an unpredictable evening featuring festival writers who will strum, sing, shimmy and shake.  Its time to let your hair down.

Compere: Nury Vittachi

Music by Boycy