The Moving Writer

Samita Nandy

Dear Readers, Books, blogs and reflections are filling my week in Canada. I just came back from Portugal, where I was invited as a speaker on celebrity, persona and selfies in activism.  It was an honour to present developments in celebrity activism for human rights, animal rights, and environmental sustainability at the Universidade da Beira Interior  (UBI) there. Representation of invisible human conditions and non-human animals in The Save Movement and were deeply touching and memorable for me. Gratitude goes to Dr Anita Krajnc for bearing witness and offering the images that I presented at the university.

Located in a charming, mountainous city called Covilhã, the university and its surroundings became my new home. I connected with my past and unfolded into paths that I never thought.  Covilhã will always be a part of the moving writer in me – I was meant to flow with my words there. My special thanks go to José Ricardo Carvalheiro, Ana Albuquerque, Ana Serrano Tellería, and all colleagues at UBI for hosting and sponsoring the journey and lecture.

My dialogue with the coordinators, panelists, and audiences will be as memorable as the paths I took in Covilhã – filled with awe, wonder, and reflection.  You can now be a part of my journey on Instagram that captured  some precious moments! I also visited Lisbon and Porto that invited me with the aroma of Portuguese coffee, artisan wine, fine chocolates, and dense architecture.  I look forward to travelling with my words there again.

From left to right: Pedro Pereira, Ana Albuquerque, Sara Filipa, João Carlos Sousa, Ana Serrano Tellería, Samita Nandy, Gaby David, Scott Cambell, José Ricardo Carvalheiro, Amparo Lasen, Filomena Matos

Back in Canada, I found myself in Chatelaine magazine – across all newsstands in Canada now. In case you are abroad, you can still read my interview here. I will always remember how a reader called me to express her exciting thoughts on the article.  Special thanks to writer Sydney Loney for the excellent coverage and insightful views.

Now I am counting down for the US. Soon I will be off to Washington D.C., where I will join my family member Trina Talukdar for her graduation. Once I am back, I will be preparing for my international conference Bridging Gaps: Higher Education, Media and Society at Ryerson University in Toronto – hosting it on May 27-28   Contact me for registration – would love to have a chat with you there and connect you with readers and writers! Hope you are having a wonderful Easter / Passover long weekend! The opening photograph was taken by Jeremiah Hill Photography. More coming on Facebook and Twitter – see you there soon! Samita