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Orwell Day

Orwell Day 2017

Authors against authority

At a time in which debates over truth and power are reaching full efervescence, George Orwell’s dystopian novel par excellence, 1984, has once again become a best-seller. The return of authoritarianism in the West and the consolidation of discourses based on “alternative facts” underline the relevance of Orwell’s legacy and compel us to think about such fundamental notions as freedom of expression, transparency and dissent, and how these have changed in the digital environment of the 21st century.

This year, the CCCB celebrates the fifth edition of Orwell Day by expanding it to two days of critical reflection. On July 5th, Timothy Garton Ash will discuss the key problems threatening freedom of speech today. On July 6th, Manel Ollé and Antonio Monegal will reflect on life and creation under totalitarian dystopias in light of the recent publication of The Accusation: Forbidden Stories from Inside North Korea (Grove 2017).

Once again, our celebration of Orwell Day includes literary tours of George Orwell's Barcelona in Catalan, Spanish and English. To sign up, visit  www.diaorwell.com.

The CCCB would like to dedicate this year's Orwell Day to the memory of Carles Capdevila.

This activity is part of Orwell Day

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Antonio Monegal and Manel Ollé

Verdad y ficción en la distopía totalitaria. De Orwell a Bandi

George Orwell's classic novel about totalitarianism 1984 recently returned to the best-sellers list. The unlikely victory of Donald Trump, the rise of the far right in Europe, and a blurring of the lines between reality and fiction seem to have revived the ghosts of the past. ...

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Timothy Garton Ash

Free speech under attack

Timothy Garton Ash, the internationally renowned intellectual and author of the book Free Speech: Ten Principles for a Connected World, speaks about the threats faced by free speech and debates about it, as well as the electoral rise of right-wing populism, laws against hate speech, and the conflicts arising between humour and religion.

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Previous activities

Truth and Fiction in the Totalitarian Dystopia: From Orwell to Bandi

Debate with Antonio Monegal and Manel Ollé

Timothy Garton Ash

Free speech under attack

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