Kaveh Akbar, Mina Etemad, and Mojdeh Feili fled Iran as children with their families—Akbar to the United States, the other two to the Netherlands. In this conversation, the three writers reflected on how their Iranian background has shaped both their work and their lives. How do you relate to a homeland at war that you can no longer return to? How do you cope with feelings of guilt toward family members and those left behind? And what role does writing play in navigating these questions?

Kaveh Akbar (1989) is an Iranian-American poet and writer, born in Tehran, Iran. At the age of two, he moved to the United States, where he now teaches at the University of Iowa. His debut novel Martyr! (published in Dutch as Martelaar!, translated by Hans Kloos and released by Pluim) was named one of the ten best books of 2024 by The New York Times. It was also widely praised by the Dutch press.

“Striking debut novel. Akbar takes the reader into stories about beauty, dreams, suffering, war, art, and politics—with humor and compelling storytelling.” – NRC

In Martyr!, Akbar tells the story of Cyrus, a queer Iranian-American poet searching for meaning after experiencing trauma both personally and through his family history. As he grapples with questions of faith, grief, family secrets, and artistic ambition, the novel shows how identity is shaped not only by personal experience but also by the stories—and silences—passed down through generations.

Mina Etemad is a journalist, podcast producer, and theater and dance critic for de Volkskrant. This spring, her debut De zangvogel (the songbird) was published by Thomas Rap—a memoir about family, the pressure of expectations, the search for meaning, and the sense of peace she finds in caring for animals when words fall short. A recurring theme in her work is how we carry the past with us and shape the present through it.

More than thirty years ago, Etemad fled Iran with her parents and sister. Yet she has never let go of its land, language, or people. What do you owe life when you are able to live in greater freedom than those in your country of origin? This question continues to haunt her—as guilt, as longing, as responsibility. During the “Woman, Life, Freedom” protests in 2022, her desire to do something for those left behind grew stronger. In this literary memoir, she explores what it means to flee your country—and to be unable to return.

Mojdeh Feili (1989) is a writer, editor, book critic, and program maker. She contributes to publications and platforms such as Het Parool, OneWorld, Storytel, Dipsaus, and Lilith Magazine. In 2021, her story Zeemeermens was published in the anthology Damn Horny, and in 2020 her story Eindelijk als Alice appeared in De goede immigrant. She will lead the conversation and also contribute from her own personal experience.

This Writers Series event was held in English and was organized in collaboration with publishers Pluim and Thomas Rap.

After the program, books were be available for purchase through De Vries Van Stockum, with an opportunity for signing.

Writers Series: Voices of Iran
Friday May 8 2026
19:00 – 20:30, Centrale Bibliotheek Den Haag (Podium B), Spui 68, 2511 BT The Hague

Writers Unlimited organizes the annual Writers Unlimited International Literature Festival The Hague (21–24 January 2027). Throughout the year, it also hosts monthly Writers Series programs at various locations across The Hague, including the Central Library of The Hague. The festival features over one hundred writers, poets, spoken word artists, and musicians from both the Netherlands and abroad. Over the course of four days, events take place at venues such as Theater aan het Spui, Filmhuis Den Haag, PAARD, the Royal Theatre (Koninklijke Schouwburg), neighborhood libraries, universities, and secondary schools in The Hague.