This event is part of the Asia House Bagri Foundation Literature Festival 2018. #AsiaLitFest

Benjamin Dix was first introduced to comics through reading two acclaimed graphic novels (Maus by Art Spiegelman and Palestine by Joe Sacco) whilst sheltering in a Sri Lankan bunker during the civil war. Dix worked for the UN as a Communications Liaison Manager, being the point of contact between the Tamil Tiger rebels and the UN until the UN evacuation in 2008.

His experiences led him to use the comic-strip format to highlight human rights and social issues through his organisation PositiveNegatives. The issues that have been covered range from migration and conflict to slavery and the international drugs trade.

Dix will be joined by his frequent collaborator, Asia Alfasi, who is one of PositiveNegative’s contributing artists. The two will explain the process of translating real-life experiences to comic-strip form, with an emphasis on the stories from Asian countries that they have covered.

About Dr Benjamin Dix & PositiveNegatives

Dr Benjamin Dix began his career as a professional photographer, working in South Asia, and has subsequently worked as a Communications Manager for the United Nations and various international NGOs across Asia and Africa for 12 years. He is currently a Senior Fellow in Development Studies at SOAS, University of London.

PositiveNegatives has worked extensively with a range of organisations such as The Guardian, BBC, Channel 4, The Nobel Peace Centre and the UN. They have developed comics from research, policy papers and first hand testimonies for organisations such as these and many more. Many of the comics have reached over 2 million viewers through international media and have been translated into multiple languages reaching diverse international stakeholders.

About Asia Alfasi

Asia Alfasi is an award-winning British Libyan graphic novelist. Born in Libya in 1984, she spent her formative years first in Tripoli, and then in Glasgow, Scotland upon migrating there with her family. Her work aims to bring forth the plight of often marginalised people and further understanding through representing the Muslim Arab voice through her work and contributing to literary and artistic discourse. Having spent a couple of years in Libya during and after the recent revolution, she is currently in the process of publishing a semi-autobiographical graphic novel based on her childhood in Libya, as well as a series based on an Islamic Folk Tale Character "Juha: The Tales of Sheikh Nasruddin" and "Native Narratives: Libyan folk tales" with the ultimate aim of harnessing the medium as a tool for cross- cultural dialogue.

Please note: This event starts at 18.45. Our cash bar will be available from 18.15.

Image courtesy of Positive Negatives, taken from 'Into Our Own Hands'. Artist - Asia Alfasi

This event is part of the Asia House Bagri Foundation Literature Festival 2018. Back for its 12th year running, the Festival is bringing some of the biggest names and rising stars from the written word together for a celebration of Asian literature.

Taking place across September and October 2018, the UK’s only pan-Asian literature festival presents words, stories and ideas from Asia and the diaspora. From live performances to public talks and animated discussions, the festival will celebrate Asia – a region that we define as running from Turkey to Tokyo– in all its glory.

Sign up to our mailing list for all the latest on this year’s Festival events, and visit our Eventbrite profile to book more tickets!