(Shiraz, Iran, 1956) is one of the most successful Iranian writers of today. His work, which consists of essays, children's books, travelogues, novels and film reviews, has been awarded many times. In 2009 a novel of his appeared in translation for the first time, Censuring an Iranian Love Story, which was received with a lot of acclaim by the international press. The main character is the writer Shahriar who decides to write a love story on Sara and Dara, the Romeo and Juliette of Islamic Iran. Their love and the writing process are frustrated by the severe moral and censorship laws in Iran. Mandanipour has had an eventful life. In the 1970s he joined the demonstrations against the sjah and in the 1980s he fought in the war against Iraq. He risked his neck as editor-in-chief of the literary magazine Asr-e Panjshanbeh (Thursday night), founded in 1999 and banned in 2007. Today Mandanipour lives in exile in Cambridge and lectures at Harvard University.

(Bussum, 1963) as a stand-up comedian, tv maker and writer likes to mop the floor with – in his eyes – often stupid politicians and journalists. In 2009 he began his own talk show with VPRO, Heerlijk, eerlijk Heertje (delicious, honest Heertje). In this programme he showed that many seemingly spontaneous processes in tv programmes are actually precooked. In 1990 Heertje introduced the stand-up comedy in the Netherlands with the launch of the Comedytrain. He is also the initiator of Comedy Café Toomler in Amsterdam. Heertje is especially known as team captain of the tv programme Dit was het Nieuws (the Dutch version of Have I got news for you) cooperating sincs 1995. In addition he writes. He wrote columns and interviews for among others Vrij Nederland, Sportweek, NRC Handelsblad and Het Parool, which were published in book form. In 2009-2010 he made the VPRO programme Wintergasten (Winter guests). Raoul Heertje also performed in foreign comedy clubs and was a guest in various foreign tv programmes, such as Ruby Wax’ show. Right now he is working on a new book Circus Nederland (Circus the Netherlands), on the media and manipulation, which will appear in 2011.

Markha Valenta (1967) assistant-professor at the Radboud University, is especially interested in the interaction between global politics, democratic societies and questions of religion, citizenship, and belonging. Her articles in NRC Handelsblad on Dutch moralism and intolerance have caused a great deal of controversy. Ms Valenta argues in a reply to an article in the Gay Krant on Tariq Ramadan that inside a democracy there must be room to think and act differently. To her this not only applies to homosexuals (Ms Valenta is a lesbian) but to Muslims too, who have their own views on homosexuality.

(1957) is regarded as one of the best trombonists in the world. Wierbos is self-taught, he once started as a player of a wind instrument in a drum band. The unique sound he manages to get out of his trombone can be heard on more than 100 CD’s which earned him various prizes. The highlight in his career was the Boy Edgar award in 1996. Jazz is one of his main passions, but he also likes to play contemporary and improvised music and makes excursions to post-punk. Wierbos toured with various formations throughout Europe, Canada, the US and Asia, but also performs solo. Under the name Wollo’s World he takes part in musical experiments, performing with a tapdancer, among others. His sound can also be heard in numerous theatre and dance performances and tv en film projects. Right now he plays with Misha Mengelberg’s ICP, the Gerry Hemingway Quintet, Franky Douglas Sunchild and Bik Bent Braam.

(Beijing, 1958) was one of the most successful journalists in China before leaving for London in 1997 where she wrote her first book. The Good Women of China (2003) is a bestseller, which has been translated in over thirty languages. The stories in this book are based on thousands of interviews which she wrote from 1989-1997 as a radio journalist. Since 2003 Xinran has also written columns for the Guardian. A number of these were collected and appeared in 2006 entitled What the Chinese Don’t Eat. In it she deals with a great number of intercultural themes, from the experiences of British mothers with Chinese foster children to the question whether the Chinese are allowed to do Christmas shopping. Xinran's first novel, Miss Chopsticks (2007), is about Chinese country girls going to town to earn a living. Xinran advises the British media regularly on their relationships with China and is a welcome guest in British talk shows.