Parramatta Literary Salon Randa Abdel-Fattah in conversation Sherene Idriss

Arts & Cultural Exchange presents Parramatta Literary Salon, a new literary event showcasing writers' body of work.

In February, we will feature award winning writer, lawyer and academic Randa Abdel-Fattah in conversation with Sherene Idriss.

The in-depth conversation will be followed by a Q&A with the audience.

Poet Ilhan Abdi will read some of her latest poetry before the conversation.

About Randa Abdel-Fattah:

Randa Abdel-Fattah is an ARC Future Fellow at Macquarie University. Her research areas cover Islamophobia, race, Palestine, the war on terror, youth identities and social movement activism. Dr Abdel-Fattah is also a former lawyer and the award-winning author of twelve books for children and young adults, which have been translated into over thirteen languages. She has won and been shortlisted and longlisted for awards including the Australian Book Industry Award, the Australian Book of The Year Award, the Victorian and NSW premiers’ literary awards, the Stella Prize, the Children’s Book Council Award, Middle East Outreach Council USA and the Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award. Her bilingual English and Arabic picture story book 11 Words for Love, illustrated by Maxine Beneba Clarke, was shortlisted for the 2023 Prime Minister’s Literary Award. Her latest book Discipline is out now through UQP.

About Sherene Idriss:

Dr Sherene Idriss is a lecturer in Social and Cultural Analysis in the School of Arts, Western Sydney University. She is the author of ‘Young Migrant Identities: Creativity and Masculinity’ (Routledge, 2018) which offers an in-depth exploration into the lives of Arab Australian young men living in Western Sydney with creative career aspirations and examines their negotiations of family, racism and identity. She has written extensively on issues of Arab Australian diaspora, youth cultures, racism and social class. Dr Idriss is currently investigating how racial inequalities and financial hardship is shaping the next generation of young migrants in Sydney and what is at stake for their aspirations and wellbeing.

About Ilhan Abdi:

Ilhan is

This event is curated by acclaimed writer Yumna Kassab in collaboration with Arts & Cultural Exchange.

Our local bookstore Dymocks Parramatta will have books for sale available on the night at Arts & Cultural Exchange.

When: Wednesday 11th February 2026 | 6.30pm to 8.30pm
Where: Arts & Cultural Exchange, Parramatta
Tickets: $10.

Free for First Nations or people experiencing financial hardship. Please feel free to email:

Lights refreshments will be provided.

This project has been supported through a City of Parramatta Council Community Grant.

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