CWS and this year’s York Festival of Ideas: Voices of Resistance at York

Posted on 18 June 2026

Last weekend, on 6th June, the Festival of Ideas hosted the event Voices of Resistance: Diaries from Gaza.

Organised by CWS and English and Related Literature PhD student Alice Flinta, the event brought together Palestinian writer Sondons Sabra and Comma Press editor James Harker for a conversation and live readings from Voices of Resistance. Diaries of Genocide (Comma Press, 2025).

Prompted by Alice’s questions, James spoke about the context and editorial development of this powerful collection of testimonies, whilst Sondos read from her entries in the book, as well as some new, unpublished writings of hers. She recalled her time in Gaza from 2023, up until she moved to the UK, in November 2025, to study a Masters in Creative Writing at Lancaster University. Sondos’s writing is expectedly raw, loaded, as the depth of the spectrum of human emotion in troubled times like ours comes through unfiltered via a literary style that holds the weight of experience.

The lecture theatre, which often remained in supportive, contemplative silence, resonated with shared, deeply felt emotions. These were reflected in the mindful and caring questions, and words of thanks, and hope, the public addressed to the panel during the final Q&A.

The public, which boasted university staff, students and the York city community, were deeply appreciative of the event, which ended in a standing ovation.

As we all walked out of it metaphysically bruised, we could not ignore the renewed sense of resistance, political commitment and human connection brewing within, and amongst, ourselves.

The event is a result of a long-standing collaboration with Manchester-based, independent publishing house Comma Press, first established by Dr Nicoletta Asciuto (English and Related Literature) in 2020. This partnership was consolidated through the EUTERPE Project: European Literature and Gender from a Transnational Perspective within which Comma Press is York’s official industry partner.

With thanks to the York Festival of Ideas Team for making this event possible.