The first podcast from the Palestine Festival of Literature.
This is a format we’ve been wanting to bring to you for a long time.
The PalFest Podcast will highlight new books from and about Palestine, bringing writers together in conversation across borders to discuss new ideas and dig into vital histories.
Each episode will feature a different pairing of writers, presented by our co-hosts Beesan Ramadan and Mirza Waheed who, together, will guide us through these unique, essential conversations.
Find us on Apple Podcasts, Patreon and everywhere else podcasts live.
Episode 1 - Batool Abu Akleen talks to Wiam El-Tamami about "48Kg."
For our very first conversation, we are incredibly lucky to have Batool Abu Akleen, a brilliant young poet from Gaza, in conversation with Wiam el-Tamami, Egyptian writer and one of Batool’s translators, speaking from Berlin. They discuss Batool’s debut collection of poems, 48KG, which critics have described as ‘profound’, ‘vital’, ‘haunting’ and ‘an extraordinary book of poetry’.
This episode was recorded between Gaza City & Germany on September 13th, 2025.
Episode 2 - Noor Hindi & George Abraham talk to Rachael Allen about "Heaven Looks Like Us"
Ahead of the UK launch of the new anthology of Palestinian poetry, Heaven Looks Like Us, on October 29th, we are thrilled to bring you George Abraham and Noor Hindi, the co-editors, in conversation with Rachael Allen, the poetry editor at Fitzcarraldo Editions.
This episode was recorded between Massachusetts, Detroit & London on October 6th, 2025.
Get tickets for the launch here, join Bookshelf here or get the anthology here.