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The Adelaide Festival Corporation has issued a formal apology to Palestinian Australian author Randa Abdel-Fattah and pledged an invitation for her to speak at the 2027 event, following a tumultuous period that led to the cancellation of this year’s Adelaide Writers’ Week. The reversal comes after a significant backlash sparked by the initial decision to rescind Abdel-Fattah’s invitation due to her public commentary on Israel and Zionism.
The crisis unfolded after more than 180 authors and participants withdrew from the festival in protest, effectively forcing its cancellation. A newly appointed board, installed earlier this week, swiftly moved to rectify the situation, reversing the previous exclusion and retracting the initial statement.
Acknowledging Harm and Upholding Artistic Freedom
In a statement released today, the Adelaide Festival Corporation expressed “unreserved” regret for the harm caused to Dr. Abdel-Fattah. “We apologise to Dr Abdel-Fattah unreservedly for the harm the Adelaide Festival Corporation has caused her,” the statement read. “Intellectual and artistic freedom is a powerful human right. Our goal is to uphold it, and in this instance Adelaide Festival Corporation fell well short.”
The apology was accepted by Abdel-Fattah, who indicated a willingness to participate in the 2027 festival, though with reservations. “I accept the apology and would consider the board’s invitation to participate in the 2027 festival ‘at the appropriate time but would be there in a heartbeat if Louise Adler was the director again’,” she posted on social media. However, she also cautioned that the statement, while acknowledging the damage, “is not a quick fix to repair the damage and injury inflicted.”
Leadership Changes and Program Cancellation
The upheaval also led to the resignation of Louise Adler, the director who had meticulously curated the 2026 Writers’ Week program. The new Adelaide Festival Board chair, Judy Potter, who was appointed earlier this week, extended a separate apology to Adler.
“We also wish to apologise to Louise Adler that the incredible Adelaide Writers’ Week program she had worked so hard to curate for 2026 has been cancelled as a result of the events that have unfolded over the last week after the announcement of the decision to rescind the invitation to Dr Abdel-Fattah,” Potter stated. “We acknowledge the principled stand she took in the extremely difficult decision to resign from her role as Director. Louise is a revered figure of Australian literature who we hold in the highest regard.”
Potter further announced the rescission of a previous board decision to establish a subcommittee to review operational decisions related to Adelaide Writers’ Week, signaling a commitment to restoring autonomy and trust within the organization.
This incident underscores the delicate balance between artistic expression, political discourse, and institutional responsibility, and serves as a stark reminder of the importance of safeguarding intellectual freedom within the cultural landscape.
