Hamad Bin Khalifa University Press (HBKU Press) has opened a call for submissions for any literary and/or artistic works inspired by life in confinement due to the global COVID-19 pandemic and personal changes that have occurred as a result of the world in crisis.

“History is unfolding right now, and this is a unique opportunity to document it as told by the community experiencing it,” explains Rima Ismail, Outreach and Special Projects Manager at Hamad Bin Khalifa University Press. “Our entire publishing house has shifted to working remotely but despite this challenge we are still looking to promote literacy and learning through this activity open to both the local and global community.”

The call for submissions looks to collate reflective pieces, anything from personal essays, narrative first-person writing pieces; illustrations and drawings, photographs, or original memes; poetry or any combination of the mediums listed above that come as a reaction to the changes that the coronavirus has thrust upon us.

Pieces should reflect your experience of working from home, losing your job, being house-bound with family or separated from your loved ones, having to change major life plans, your shifts in attitude or worldview, the experience of contracting the disease or knowing someone who has, etc. or anything related to how you are feeling, coping and adapting to the global pandemic. If your submission is chosen, it will be included in a published book tentatively titled, Together……Apart.

“What we hope to achieve at the end of this is a global snapshot full of candid moments about this time. We want to document revelations, inspirations as well as challenges and difficult truths,” Ismail continues. “The call for submissions is open to anyone of any age because if we’ve learned anything from the virus, it’s that it does not discriminate. The bottom line is, as a global community we are all in this together. We hope that the subsequentially published book will reflect the spirit of cultural exchange that is essential to HBKU Press’s mission.”

HBKU Press will begin accepting submissions until May 6, 2020 in Arabic, English and French, where applicable. For more details on the requirements and terms and conditions, interested participants are welcome to visit https://hbkupress.com/en/2020-hbku-press-call-submissions-0 where you will find the application form and more details about the submission process.

Only full application packages, which include a completed application form, a short descriptive rationale, a brief biography and the submission piece will be considered for publication.

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Khadiza Begum

Content Writer

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