PENANG Institute (PI), the state’s think tank, has now been entrusted with organising the annual George Town Literary Festival (GTLF) with the hope that locals would continue reading books and enjoying discourses on them. 

PI executive director Dr Ooi Kee Beng said people still liked to read books and to digest issues. 

“It may not necessarily be a generational issue; both young and old alike should be encouraged to read so they have a deep understanding of the world that they live in,” he said. 

This marks PI’s return to organising GTLF since it last managed the festival in 2015. The theme this year is “Word on the Street”, which celebrates George Town’s diverse cultures. 

Ooi told the press recently that the 14th edition of GTLF would feature stories, voices, and languages that reflected the vibrant culture of George Town. 

“The festival will underscore the importance of literature in expressing urban experiences and the power of language in shaping society.  

“It is part of the renewed commitment to honour Penang’s formidable cultural past, present and future, and how we can place Penang’s literary heritage and educational prowess on a higher scale,” he said after receiving RM600,000 in sponsorship from Greatech Technology and RM100,000 from HSBC Malaysia. 

The main venue for the festival is Think City, with additional events taking place at various locations around George Town like Cheong Fatt Tze Mansion, St Xavier’s Institution, China House, and the open spaces in Beach Street and China Street Ghaut. 

The festival will showcase prominent Malaysian writers such as Tan Twan Eng, Shih-Li Kow, Aishah Zainal, and Hanna Alkaf, and poets Hafiz Hamzah and Qurratul Ain.

International literary figures such as Flemish author Jeroen Olyslaegers and Taiwanese novelist Kevin Chen would also be there.  

The event is aimed as well at galvanising local talents to explore writing and engage in discourses on published works. – September 16, 2024.