HAY FESTIVAL SEGOVIA 2023

DREAMS BY THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER

Luz Gabás, winner of the 2022 Planeta Prize, will talk with Jesús Vigorra about her historical novel Lejos de Luisiana (Away from Louisiana), an illustration of a time when this US territory was French, Spanish and then American. The main protagonist is the Mississippi River and its original peoples, who coexisted with European colonisers and others in a world in permanent transformation that will irrevocably mark all their destinies.

Gabás (1968) has a degree in English Literature, and is a university lecturer, although after many years dedicated to this, she left teaching to focus on writing. She began her writing career with Palmeras en la nieve (Palm Trees in the Snow, 2012), a literary phenomenon that brought tens of thousands of readers, translation into several languages and a successful film adaptation. Then came works such as Regreso a tu piel (Return to your Skin, 2014), Como fuego en el hielo (Like Fire on Ice, 2017) and El latido de la tierra (The Heartbeat of the Earth, 2019), all achieving widespread circulation.

At the end of the event, the author will sign copies of her books at the book stall outside IE University

Event in Spanish

THE VALUE OF CHILDREN'S LITERATURE

Mercedes Ron is a young writer and audio-visual communicator born in Argentina and now a Spanish national, specialising, and achieving enormous success in children's literature. Despite her youth she has already published many books, including her trilogy Culpa mía (2017), Culpa tuya (2017) and Culpa nuestra (2018). She wrote the first of these under 20, and when she couldn't find a publisher, she decided to launch the book on the WattPad reader platform. Since then, tens of thousands of teenagers have read her works. After that came the Marfil y Ébano books (2019), and the trilogy Dímelo bajito (2020), Dímelo en secreto (2020) and Dímelo con besos (2021). At this event she will talk about her work, the importance of reading in childhood and adolescence, and the themes that young people want to find in the books they read.

At the end of the event, the author will sign copies of her books at the book stall at the main entrance of IE University.

Event in Spanish

POWER AND ITS CRUELTY: FICTION TELLS THE STORY OF REALITY

A good novel must have a powerful story as a starting point. From there, the plot and the characters, shaped by the author, will do the rest to capture the reader's attention. Giuliano da Empoli's novel, The Wizard of the Kremlin, starts with its own story that is so real that it seems pure fantasy. A trusted advisor to Vladimir Putin - based on a real-life character - is the protagonist of a book that moves at a furious pace and delves into the intricacies of ruthless power. How an enlightened and cultured man can put himself at the service of Putin, who uses power with a blend of chaos and ruthless decisions that confounds Western countries.

Giuliano da Empoli is a sociologist, essayist and political consultant of Italian-Swiss origin. Director of the think tank Volta in Milan, he also teaches at Sciences Po Paris. The Wizard of the Kremlin, his first novel, is the literary phenomenon of the year in France and has won the French Academy’s Grand Prix de Novel and the Honoré de Balzac prize, as well as being a finalist for the Goncourt and Interallié prizes.

Da Empoli will be in conversation with Eva Orúe, journalist, writer, cultural manager and director of the Madrid Book Fair.

The event will be presented by Jean-Michel Casa, French Ambassador to Spain.

After the event, the author will sign his book at the book stall at the main entrance of IE University.

Event with simultaneous translation from French to Spanish and vice versa

LETTERS TO UKRAINE

Yuri Andrukhovych is one of the most singular figures in European narrative in recent years. Novelist, poet, essayist and translator, in his new book Small Encyclopedia of Intimate Cities, he uses his unique flair for uncovering the different among the obvious as he maps life in 39 cities, all scenes of historical events. Andrey Kurkov, recently awarded the Médicis Étranger prize in France, began a diary when the first Russian rockets fell on Kiev on 24 February 2022. In Diary of an Invasion, he recounts the horrifying impact of the conflict through a personal chronicle, which is also an astonishing account of Ukrainian identity and the daily lives of his compatriots. Both will discuss their latest books and the current circumstances with María Sahuquillo, El País correspondent in Brussels.

After the event, the authors will sign copies of their books at the book stall at the main entrance of IE University.

Event in English with simultaneous translation into Spanish.

EXPLORING FOREIGN EXPERIENCES, IDENTITY, STYLE, AND WRITING

In a captivating dialogue exploring foreign experiences, identity, style, and writing, journalist and writer David Jiménez, and journalist and author Lane Greene offer their unique perspectives and ideas. David Jiménez, a journalist with a deep understanding of literature, culture, and current affairs, former international reporter, ex-director of El Mundo, and author of books like "El Director" and "El Corresponsal" (The Director and The Correspondent) is joined by Lane Greene, a multifaceted journalist, language columnist at The Economist, and author, with his latest book "Writing with Style: The Economist Guide," whose expertise lies in the realm of language, communication, culture, and its impact on society.

After the event, the authors will sign copies of their books at the book stall at the entrance of IE University.

Event with simultaneous translation from Italian into Spanish and vice versa.

Marisa Manchado is a renowned composer and pianist, as well as a teacher, and researcher, she has also been an important voice on topics such as women in music. She has held top positions in cultural management, such as the Deputy General of Music and Dance at the INAEM - Ministry of Culture. Manchado is a figure who embraces all the themes of music, women, feminism and even technology, as one of the most striking aspects about her is her interest in the synthesis of music and electronics. She now faces an exciting, perhaps daunting, challenge: in September she will begin rehearsals for her opera La Regenta, based on the novel of the same name by Leopoldo Alas Clarín and with a libretto by Amelia Valcárcel. It will premiere in October, in a joint production by the Teatro Real and the Teatro Español.

Manchado will talk about her work and career with Charo Izquierdo. Journalist, independent advisor and business consultant, she is editorial advisor to El Español, for its women's section, MagasIn, and its sustainability section, Enclave ODS. She has published the books Puta no soy, Socorro, soy abuela, ¿Soy yo o es que aquí hace mucho calor? (written together with Laura Ruiz de Galarreta) and Fashion ® Evolution.

A HUMANIST FUTURE

Paris-based Italian writer Andrea Marcolongo is an international phenomenon. A scholar of ancient Greece and Rome, in her latest book there is a thread that connects the epic of the warriors and navigators of ancient mythology with the venerable salon of the École Militaire in Paris. Marcolongo herself is a member of Les Écrivains de marine (Writers of the French Navy), a select club to which other illustrious figures such as Arturo Pérez-Reverte belong, and which has its headquarters in the 18th-century complex of buildings opposite the Eiffel Tower. Andrea Marcolongo (Milan, 1987), writer and journalist, holds a degree in Classical Literature from the University of Milan. She is the author of the literary phenomenon The Language of the Gods (2017), The Measure of Heroes (2019) and La lezione di Enea (2020). Her books have been translated into 28 languages.

She will be in conversation with Juan Cruz, a prominent Spanish writer and journalist, who has spent most of his professional career at the newspaper El País; he is currently attached to the presidency of Prensa Ibérica and writes in the media of this group. He has been awarded prizes such as the Azorín prize for novels and the National Prize for Cultural Journalism.

The event will be presented by the general director of the Banco Sabadell Foundation, Sonia Mulero.

After the event, the authors will sign copies of their books at the book stall at the entrance of IE University.

Event with simultaneous translation from Italian into Spanish and vice versa.

SEX AND POWER: HISTORY AND PASSION

In the shadows behind official versions of Spanish history, are countless sensational episodes, replete with carnal passions, that altered the course of events or changed them completely without ever being officially documented. In her latest book, Lo que la primavera hace con los cerezos, journalist and writer Marta Robles has travelled through the history of this country in search of all the amorous and sexual adventures that marked power relationships and secret decisions that influenced the course of events.

She talks about the intricacies of love and power with Juan José Güemes, former Minister for Employment and Health of the Madrid Region, who has chaired IE Business School's Centre for Entrepreneurship and Innovation since 2010.

Event in Spanish

SHOULD WE PLAY GOD?

The world of science is advancing at a rapid pace of constant discovery and technological mergers that make what was once considered impossible now possible. Carlos Franganillo, one of the most popular faces of news broadcasting in Spain, is a journalist with extensive international experience. One of his latest projects, '10,000 Days', which he directs and presents on Spanish TV Channel: La 1, is a documentary series that analyzes the changes society will face in the coming years. In this questioning about the evolution of biotechnology, he sits down with author Diego del Alcazar, whose debut novel “La Genética del Tiempo” (The Genetics of Time) a thriller, provides readers with a glimpse into the challenges that genetic editing presents in terms of improving human nature. This is a new facet for Diego del Alcazar, who, in his day-to-day professional life, leads the strategy of an international university.

Event with English translation.

THE WINDING STAIR

MP Jesse Norman’s witty historical novel The Winding Stair is the story of the rivalry between scholar Francis Bacon and Edward Coke, already acclaimed as the greatest lawyer of his generation. As Queen Elizabeth I is dying and James I waiting to accede, Bacon and Coke are locked in a bitter struggle for influence and power in the palaces, parliaments and royal courts. Norman, the MP for Hereford and South Herefordshire and currently Minister of State in the Department for Transport, discusses combining history and fiction to create a tale of political machinations.

Jesse Norman talks with British journalist Martin Ivens, Editor of the Times Literary Supplement and former editor of the Sunday Times.

The event will be introduced by Hugh Elliott, UK Ambassador to Spain.

At the end of the event, the author will sign his works at the book stall outside IE University.

Event with simultaneous translation from English to Spanish.

ELIZABETH II, THE 'ORDINARY' QUEEN

Elizabeth II was not predisposed to rule, any more than her father and grandfather were. But she took up the reins of an empire and led her people through decades that transformed society, and in which she had to deal with events as significant as her uncle's abdication and war, as well as romance, danger, tragedy, and triumph. Robert Hardman reflects on her extraordinary life and its cultural impact, in conversation with Hugh Elliott, UK Ambassador to Spain.

Hardman is a renowned author, royal analyst, and filmmaker, who has covered the British monarchy for three decades. He is the author of the film and book Monarchy: The Royal Family at Work, as well as Her Majesty and Queen of the World and Life of a Queen. Elizabeth II 1926-2022. He writes for the Daily Mail newspaper in London.

The event will be introduced by Caroline Michel, a leading figure in the British cultural world and global President of the Hay Festivals.

At the end of the event, the author will sign his works at the bookstall outside IE University.

With simultaneous translation from English to Spanish and vice versa.

THE DARK NOVEL

Narratives can take all the nuances that their authors want to give them. They immerse us in reality through fiction, blurring the boundaries between the two, and at times making both darker. Carlos Zanón and Ray Loriga are multifaceted writers who have worked with novels, film scripts, criticism, press articles, and children's literature. Both have written exceptional works in genres such as Zanón’s noir work, or Loriga’s minimalist realism. They will discuss this in a conversation moderated by El Mundo journalist Luis Alemany.

Zanón has published some twenty works, including Tarde, Mal y nunca (2009), Yo fui Johnny Thunders (2014, Hammet Award), and Carvalho: problemas de identidad (2019). Loriga, writer, screenwriter, and film director, has published works such as Héroes (1993), Rendición (2017, Alfaguara Novel Prize), and Cualquier verano es un final (2023).

At the end of the event, the authors will sign copies of their books at the book stall at the main entrance of IE University.

Event in Spanish

A NEW EXPERIENCE WITH DIGITAL JOURNALISM

Print journalism is going through a phase of ongoing change and reinvention. The capacity of culture to reinvent ideas and contribute to business has led to the creation of ABC Cultural Premium, the first initiative that allows you to become a digital subscriber to just the cultural section of a daily newspaper. The Culture section is one of the mainstays of ABC's core offer, which is why it has created this option that offers access to the supplement and much more content. The novelist and journalist Karina Sainz Borgo, currently a columnist for ABC and author of two successful novels (the most recent being El tercer país), and the writer, scriptwriter and cultural critic Edu Galán will discuss the relationship between digital journalism and culture. The event will be moderated by the director of ABC Cultural, Jesús García Calero.

At the end of the event, the authors will sign copies of their books at the book stall at the entrance of the IE University.

Event in Spanish

Join us for a dynamic conversation about technology and creativity between John Maeda and Ikhlaq Sidhu. In this engaging dialogue, Maeda, renowned artist and designer, author of several books including How to Speak Machine: Computational Thinking for the Rest of Us and Sidhu, prominent computer engineer and author of Engineering Innovation: A Practical Guide to Creating Something New, will bring together their expertise to explore the limitless possibilities that occur when art, technology and innovation meet.

After the event, there will be a book signing at the book stall at the main entrance of the IE University

Event in English with simultaneous translation to Spanish

Valerie Miles, writer, translator and editor of Granta, is the curator of the Correspondence section of the magazine Cuadernos Hispanoamericanos in which two writers explore the epistolary form and its function as a philosophical parenthesis in everyday life: a remote conversation that is projected in the imagination, where the interior and sequential voice invites us to enter a strange intimacy. Miguel Ángel Hérnandez is the author of award-winning novels such as El dolor de los demás and Anoxia, as well as an art historian and Berta Ares, a journalist and cultural researcher, author of Joseph Roth, Legacy and Testament.

THEY SHOT THE PIANO PLAYER

What happened that night? The question that prompts the narrator of the animated film They Shot the Piano Player sets off an investigation into the fateful event that took the life of Francisco Tenório Cerqueira Jr, a musician destined to change the course of Brazilian music forever. Fernando Trueba and Javier Mariscal talk about what led them to undertake this passion project.

Mariscal is an internationally renowned illustrator and designer who won the National Design Award in 1999. He is best known for being the creator of Cobi, the mascot of the Barcelona ’92 Olympic Games. He has exhibited his work at the Centre Georges Pompidou in Paris, the MOMA, the Victoria & Albert Museum, the Philadelphia Museum of Art, the IVAM and the MACBA. Trueba (Madrid, 1955) is a world-renowned Spanish film director, screenwriter and producer. His most critically acclaimed films include Belle Époque (The Age of Beauty), winner of nine Goya awards and the Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film, and La niña de tus ojos,(The Girl of Your Dreams) also a multi-award winner at the Goya Awards.

Event in Spanish

WOMEN IN LEADERSHIP

Four women deeply interested in women's leadership, from women in business to coaching for —and by— women. All four of these leaders understand the transformational change needed to unlock women's presents and futures, and the critical collaboration needed between women to see that this is realised.

Cece Helgesen, cited by Forbes as the world's foremost expert on women's leadership, and internationally best-selling author of leadership books, with a place in the Thinkers 50 Hall of Fame; Julie Finch, CEO of the Hay Festival, leader and expert in the culture and creative sectors and in private and public not-for profit organisations such as the Arts Council England; and Maria Antonia Elliott, coach and yoga trainer share their views and experiences in a discussion moderated by Marta Williams, IE University professor, and expert in executive leadership and coaching for women leaders.

Event in English with simultaneous translation to Spanish

22 YEARS OF NOT SHUTTING UP

Javier Cercas (Ibahernando, Cáceres, 1962) has been saying things since he published his first novel in 1987. Nothing in his fiction is alien to his environment, to the society and circumstances that surround him. They are contexts that help us understand the characters in his works and their stories. But there is also the article writer and essayist Javier Cercas, where reality takes centre stage, and he is the protagonist, as in his latest book No Callar. Crónicas, ensayos y artículos 2000-2022. Author of novels such as El vientre de la ballena (The Whale’s Belly, 1997), Soldados de Salamina (Soldiers of Salamis, 2001), Anatomía de un instante (Anatomy of a Moment, 2009), Terra Alta (a Planeta Prize-winner in 2019) and Independencia (Independence, 2021). His books have been translated into more than 30 languages and have won the most prestigious awards, such as the Premio Nacional in Spain, the United Kingdom’s Foreign Fiction Prize, the Mondello Prize in Italy, the Malraux Prize in France, and the Prize for the Best European Novel awarded by the European Parliament. He has also been awarded major awards for essays and journalism, such as the Francisco Cerecedo and the Mariano de Cavia awards in Spain.

He will talk about his latest work and his career with the journalist Vicente Vallés, who currently presents and directs the news programme Noticias 2 on Antena 3 TV channel. He is the author of the essay Trump y la caída del imperio Clinton (Trump and the Fall of the Clinton Empire, 2017) and the novel Operación Kazán (Kazan Operation, 2022).

At the end of the event, the authors will sign their works at the bookstand in front of the IE University.

Event in Spanish

With an extensive career as a member of the National English Opera (ENO) and the Welsh Opera House, tenor Marc Le Broq marks his presence at Hay Festival Segovia 2023. With a repertoire ranging from Cavalli, Debussy, Wagner, Puccini, Strauss, Verdi and much more, with outstanding appearances at the most important festivals in the world (Salzburg, Grimeborn, Southwell) and records recorded with the best publishers and most relevant music entities, Lebroq will engage in a conversation with journalist Irene Hernández Velasco about his career as a tenor and the problems that beset the world of opera today.

AN IMMERSIVE EXPERIENCE

How can virtual reality enhance a cultural experience? The Immersive Learning department and the Division of Arts and Humanities at IE University have curated a series of experiences for the participants of this year's Hay Festival Segovia, in which you can experience virtual reality and its applications to education. Is there such a thing as an original text? Goretti Fernández will guide us to an answer in her immersive masterclass for 30 people.

In this event, participants will be invited to explore literary texts through the lens of virtual reality. Professor Goretti González, PhD in Romance Languages and Literatures from Harvard University and a specialist in Humanities and Languages will challenge us with her question: Is there such a thing as an original text?

Throughout the day from 11am to 7pm, except during masterclass times, festival-goers will be able to explore the metaverse and visit the IE Virtual Gallery on Spatial.io. They can also take in the exhibition of the winning photographs from the 2022 IE Foundation Prize in Humanities.

Free Admission every 30 minutes. Up to 30 participants at a time (Except from 12:00 to 12:50)

Event in English

Is there a more masculine archetype than the world-renowned spy and notorious womanizer James Bond? What adventures can courageous women lead in the perilous eighteenth century world of smugglers? These questions of gender, genre and heroism sit at the heart of Kim Sherwood’s novels Double or Nothing, the first in a new series expanding the world of 007, and A Wild & True Relation, a literary historical feminist smuggling tale. Sherwood’s award-winning writing explores stereotypes related to gender and the role of women and women’s writing throughout history.

Kim is an author and creative writing lecturer at the University of Edinburgh, where she lives in the city. Her first novel, Testament (2018), won the Bath Novel Award and Harper’s Bazaar Big Book Award. It was longlisted for the Desmond Elliot Prize and shortlisted for the Author’s Club Best First Novel Pick. In 2019, she was shortlisted for The Sunday Times Young Writer of the Year Award. Her second book, Double or Nothing (2022), is the first in a trilogy commissioned by the Ian Fleming Estate to expand the world of James Bond.

Kim Sherwood will discuss how her work confronts stereotypes and challenges gender norms in a conversation with Cristina Ward, Head of Arts at British Council Spain.

At the end of the event, the author will sign copies of her books at the booth located at the main entrance of IE University.

THROUGH THE EYES OF NATURE

Delve into an immersive and thought-provoking exploration of our planet's future and the vital importance of preserving its ecosystems. Join three distinguished visionaries—Vincent Doumeizel, Valerie Trouet, and David Lindo—in a captivating conversation moderated by sustainability expert Isabela del Alcázar, as they share their unique perspectives on nature and its profound wisdom.

Vincent Doumeizel, a renowned French environmentalist and sustainability advocate, will draw insights from his latest book, which delves into the transformative potential of the seaweed revolution. Valerie Trouet, a Belgian paleoclimatologist and author of the acclaimed book "Tree Story: The History of the World Written in Rings," brings her expertise to shed light on the remarkable stories embedded within tree rings. David Lindo, known as "the urban birder," a prominent naturalist and broadcaster on the BBC, will offer his extensive knowledge on ornithological tourism and the enchanting world of urban birds.

Together, these visionary thinkers will explore the unveiled harmony of nature and its significance for the future of our societies.

Event with simultaneous translation from English to Spanish and vice versa

The war in Ukraine and its effects on geopolitics and the economy in Europe are reasons to bring to the fore a debate on the role of European values today. Hay Festival Segovia invites the professor of International Law and jurist José Maria Beneyto and Carmen Sanz, president of the Norwegian Chamber of Commerce in Spain and president of the European Chambers, for this semester of the year. She is participating on behalf of the 14 European Chambers in Spain to talk about the subject.

METAVERSE: THROUGH THE LENSES OF THE IMAGINATION
In the eye of the storm

How can virtual reality enhance a cultural experience? The Immersive Learning department and the Division of Arts and Humanities at IE University have curated a series of experiences for the participants of this year's Hay Festival Segovia, in which you can experience virtual reality and its applications to education.

How to make collaborative decisions to help our planet? In the Eye of the Storm is a three-part immersive experience about climate change. The participant will undergo an emotional and alarming personal experience of a hurricane, using virtual reality goggles, learn about one of the five key decision-makers in the climate change conversation through multimedia material and prepare for a role-based discussion on climate action.

This masterclass for 30 participants will be given by Isabela del Alcázar and Gonzalo Delacámara, sustainability experts.

GREEN CITY: HEALTHY CITY

Prof. Adrian Geuze, the founder of West 8 in 1987, has established a prominent international landscape architecture firm that excels in the realms of infrastructure, landscape, and urban design. Based in Rotterdam and with additional offices in Belgium and North America, West 8 has garnered a stellar reputation and comprises a diverse and multi-disciplinary team of 70 professionals, including architects, urban designers, landscape architects, and industrial engineers. Geuze, renowned worldwide for his groundbreaking contributions in the Netherlands and beyond, has created remarkable projects such as Madrid Río and Parque Central in Madrid, Governors Island in New York, Jubilee Gardens in London, and Yongsan National Park in Seoul, South Korea. In 2022, Geuze was appointed as a Professor of Landscape Architecture at Technical University Delft, and he was honored with the Sir Geoffrey Jellicoe Award by the International Federation of Landscape Architects (IFLA) for his transformative impact on the relationship between cities, nature, and people.

Geuze will engage in a conversation with David Goodman, the Dean of IE School of Architecture and Design, whose recent research focuses on architectural innovation and production during periods of socioeconomic instability. Their discussion will explore the intricate connection between healthy cities, individuals, parks, and architecture.

With simultaneous translation from English to Spanish

FT WEEKEND DEBATE: IS EUROPE LOSING THE RACE TO LEAD THE GREEN FUTURE?

After decades of leading the drive towards a green economy, Europe is now falling behind China - and faces the prospect of also being overtaken by the US. Beijing is already an electric vehicle, solar and wind juggernaut and has a growing stranglehold on critical minerals. Now, Joe Biden's ground-breaking Inflation Reduction Act is changing the global green game, luring business, investment and jobs to America. Europe is responding. But is it really up to the fight? Join Jesse Norman, UK transport, technology and decarbonisation minister, Pilita Clark, Financial Times columnist and associate editor, Bianca Dragomir, director of Clean Tech for Iberia, Gonzalo Delacámara, an international expert on water and energy economics, in conversation with Frederick Studemann, FT Literary editor.

Event with simultaneous translation from English to Spanish.

THE HUMANITIES IN THE AGE OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE

In these changing times, it has become imperative to reflect on human creativity in a world in which artificial intelligences are also beginning to create. Hay Festival hosts a debate on the role that the humanities should play in the age of artificial intelligence and the intergenerational impact that it entails. In an conversation, moderated by journalist and author Marta Garcia-Aller, Nuria Oliver, a renowned scientist who co-founded and directs the ELLIS Alicante Foundation, an institute dedicated to exploring the impact of AI on humanity and John Maeda, a prominent American computer designer and engineer, known for his groundbreaking work at the intersection of technology, art, and the humanities who also holds the role of Vice President of Design and Artificial Intelligence at Microsoft, will delve into the imperative of AI, its impact on the humanities and its derivatives.

This conversation will be joined by two young people who are currently developing their studies in the field of technology: Teresa Lufuluabo, an orchestra conductor converted into a programmer thanks to Escuela 42 and its disruptive programming campus promoted in Spain by Fundación Telefónica, and Juan Heslop, a recent graduate in Data Science from IE University, winner of poetry and essay prizes from the IE Foundation, singer and digital analyst in a consulting firm.

Event with simultaneous translation from English to Spanish and vice versa.