U.S. Edition of Jaipur Literature Festival Heads to Boulder

Rich with words and ideas, JLF@Boulder invites participants to join together in examining the depth and breadth of the human experience through the reflections and imaginations of more than 80 distinguished contemporary authors and speakers from around the world. In these critical times, the penetrating, intercultural dialogue exchanged at this festival of ideas speaks deeply to individuals and gives rise to the joy of community.

"The festival provides a platform for creative collision of remarkable literary minds," says Jules Levinson, Festival Advisor, for JLF at Boulder. "The audience is invited to listen in on intriguing conversations sparked when some of the world's leading authors, from storytellers to scientists, discuss today's most relevant global topics. You'll come away with a feeling that suddenly the world is very different than you thought it was."

Specific themes at JLF at Boulder 2016 will include immigration, politics, and conflict; environmental concerns such as fracking, climate change, the declining bee population, famine, and water conservation; poetic imagination; and contemporary Native American life.

Special guest speakers in Boulder this year include Viet Thanh Nguyen, the Vietnamese American 2016 Pulitzer Prize winning author of The Sympathizer,and David Goulson, author of the bestselling A Sting in the Tale and A Buzz in the Meadow and the founder of England's Bumblebee Conservation Trust. More details and additional confirmed speakers can be found online at jaipurliteraturefestival.org/boulder.

In its 9th year, Jaipur Literature Festival (JLF) India is the world's largest free literature festival, drawing some 330,000 people to Diggi Palace in the Rajasthani capital this past January. The festival serves as a beacon of free speech around the world, giving rise to more than 200 other literature festivals, both in India and other countries.

Dubbed "the greatest literary show on Earth," JLF successfully expanded to London in 2014, and sought a US location for 2015. After meetings with major US cities including New York, Chicago and Seattle, festival organizers chose picturesque Boulder, CO, with a population of just over 105,000, as its only location in the United States. Voted the US's brainiest (more Ph.D.s per capita than any other US city) happiest and foodiest city, the festival was wildly successful in its first year in Boulder in 2015. Festival organizers expect15,000 people to attend this year from throughout the country and around the world.

"Boulder is a perfect host city to explore new ideas, debate contentious issues from race and religion to history and philosophy," said Sanjoy Roy, Festival Producer. "We were delighted with the success in year one and look forward to an exciting second year."

The Jaipur Literature Festival at Boulder takes place at the at the Main Boulder Public Library, 1001 Arapahoe Ave. A week of pre-events will be held at the Main Boulder Public Library and other locations. There is no admission fee, but attendees must register. For more information, confirmed speakers, and registration, visit jaipurliteraturefestival.org/boulder.