Literally Peace

My voice carries no weight and I can change nothing. My marked ballot influences no election. I never stated it so plainly, but that is what I thought for years. Nevertheless, I dutifully always visited my polling station. I never read the party manifestos beforehand and I rarely researched. I had always considered myself politically educated. So much so that I believed my voice's weight was too small to make a difference. It took an internet acquaintance to show me how to make the world a better place and myself a better person in the process.

In November 2016, Maria Tramountani met Hazem Raad in Barcelona. They had participated in a short story competition and made it to the final round. The participants came from Europe and the Mediterranean region. Hazem came from Syria. Maria and Hazem spent the time there in long conversations. 

Since then, she has reported at readings that she became suspicious at the time because Hazem spoke of time with friends. Of celebrations, university and his girlfriend. The expectation inherent within her—that a person from a country at war would only talk about war—did not materialise. The reason is simple: Despite war live people there. And they celebrate, love and talk with friends. And they probably prefer to talk about the beautiful things in life than about all the oppressive events at which every soul threatens to break. Syria has more to offer than just war news.

I only became aware of this myself when Maria asked me if I wanted to be part of the "Literally Peace" project. Only as an author, of course. I was immediately enthusiastic about a project that set itself the task of bringing together Syrian and German authors. Maria handled all the tasks in the background: she looked after the website, planned and moderated the readings. Searched for good solutions for video links to Damascus. Made new contacts. Looked after the finances and much more besides. I could not have known how much work that was at the time, yet I had great desire to moderate myself and was only too happy to take this task off her hands. I wanted to do that alone because the readings at that time still took place entirely in Stuttgart and I did not want to make the journey from Würzburg just to read out a text.

Literally Peace grew. Maria gathered more and more authors for the project and new venues were found for the performances. Maria could only plan all of this whilst continuing with her work because she was passionate about the project, but she was threatening to burn out. She asked some members if they wanted to be part of the organising team, and I was one of them. I thought briefly, but realised that the project had also grown very close to my heart in the meantime. I felt honoured.

Nevertheless, most of the work remained with Maria. She organised a team-building event and we slowly understood that there was more to it than that. At the same time, "Literally Peace" transformed from a project into an association and Maria came to me again and asked if I would like to share the chair with her. I felt like a fraud because I underestimated my contribution and asked myself why it should be me of all people who would be suitable for this role. This time I did not find it so easy to say yes and it took a psychologist who assured me that it is precisely such tasks that make life valuable. I said yes and was elected deputy chair. Since then, in addition to writing, reading and moderating, I have also looked after the website and this year I will take over the finances as well as plan and conduct a reading in Würzburg. 

If I had been told from the outset what lay ahead of me, I would probably have declined. I know myself very well and know how overwhelming such a volume of tasks can seem. The reality, however, is much easier than the list of tasks would suggest. And when the work does seem heavier, I think about what I am doing. I am fostering dialogue between Syria and Germany and I am ensuring that we perceive Syrians as friends, as artists and as people, and not solely as victims of war.

Further information about the project and the performances at www.literallypeace.com

Steffen Gärtner