“Europa21. Thinking tomorrow's society” is a cooperation between the Robert Bosch Stiftung and the Leipzig Book Fair. Sadik J. al-Azm, born 1934 in Damascus, is a Professor Emeritus of Modern European Philosophy at the University of Damascus. He is considered to be as one of the most important progressive thinkers of the Arab world. He was awarded the Goethe-Medal in 2015. He was granted political asylum in Germany in 2012. His latest work published in German is „Islam and Secular Humanism“ (Mohr-Siebek).
Jörg Armbruster, born 1947 in Tübingen, was correspondent of the tv-channel ARD for the Near and Middle East until the end of 2012. He was presenter of the programme „Weltspiegel“ and others. His latest book published in 2013 was „Brennpunkt Nahost. Die Zerstörung Syriens und das Versagen des Westens“ (Westend). Jörg Armbruster was honoured with the Award of Honour of the Bayerischer Fernsehpreis for his lifework in 2015.
Shida Bazyar, born 1988 in Hermeskeil, studied literary writing in Hildesheim before moving to Berlin. Her debut novel „Nachts ist es leise in Teheran“, the story of a family caught between revolution, flight and German reality, will be released at the Leipzig Book Fair by Kiepenheuer und Witsch.
