The launch of HAIRAN will be held at the Scottish Poetry Library on 11th December, at 6:30pm. Daoud Sarhandi-Williams, editor of the collection, who is travelling from Barcelona for the event, will be joined via zoom by Sepideh Jodeyri & Ali Sobati.

Sepideh Jodeyri (Iran, 1976) is an award-winning poet and translator living in Washington, DC, USA. She is the author of eleven books, and was a selected poet of The Dangerous Women project at the University of Edinburgh. She worked with both Abbas Shokri and Ali Sobati in the development of this book.

HAIRAN is a newly collected anthology of 76 poems by 76 women poets of all ages and from all regions of Iran.

Some poets are in prison, some in hiding, some in exile.

Many wrote in response to the attack on Iranian women’s life and liberty that began with the deathof Mahsa Amini in Tehran in September 2022: arrested and killed in police custody for not covering enough of her hair in public.

The poems are accompanied by photos of the backs of a few of the poets’ heads, uncovered. The an-thology is edited by an international group of Iranian academics and poets in exile, with an extensive introduction tracing the 1000 year history of poetry by Iranian women.

Come join us for an evening filled with powerful poetry readings by Iranian women exploring themes of hair and freedom. This event will showcase the talent and creativity of these incredible poets, offering a unique insight into their experiences and perspectives.

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