The 28 women represent a multi-disciplinary snapshot of the best minds of our time, and include novelist Leïla Slimani, entrepreneur Hilary Cottam, activist Janne Teller, anthropologist Gloria Wekker, and actress Lisa Dwan.
The project is co-funded by Creative Europe Programme of the European Union through Wom@rts, which aims to promote an equal, shared presence of women as active agents in the artistic arena, and involves a wide range of cultural activities in different European cities leading up to 2020.
Cristina Fuentes, Hay Festival international director, said: “Europe is a continent in perpetual change. It has been the birthplace to some of the world's most unifying works of art and its most terrifying ideologies. The new festival (3-5 June 2020) seeks to unearth the new ideas and art that can lead us forwards in this moment of political and cultural division, driven by an inspiring group of women who share their visions as beacons to guide the next generation. Our new anthology and events will be spaces in which to think and to hope. ”
Everyone is invited to submit digitally their own thoughts on what Europe means to them, for the chance to win a trip to Hay Festival Europa28 in Rijeka next June and a copy of the new anthology. Visit hayfestival.org/europa28/competition to find out more.