The British Council programme India-Wales Writers Chain 2010-12 aims to develop cultural connections between Wales and India through literature.  This programme has been developed by the British Council, in partnership with Wales Arts International, and is generously supported by the Welsh Assembly Government.

India-Wales Writers Chain 2010 -12 was launched at the Hay Festival, Trivandrum, Kerala (12-14 November) and included input from UK authors Gillian Clarke, Menna Elfyn and Paul Henry

Hay Festivals and the British Council jointly launched a global partnership at the Hay-on-Wye Festival this May. Working together to bring the UK’s best authors and thinkers to an international audience, the global partnership will see festivals taking place in Beirut, Belfast, Wales, Zacatecas, Segovia, Nairobi, Maldives, Kerala and Cartagena, throughout the year. For more information on the Hay Festivals Global Partnership, click here and for session Chair Anita Sethi's blog post, click here.

The British Council’s Wales-India programme in Kerala brought two of Wales' most famous poets (Menna Elyfn, Paul Henry) together with two of Kerala's (ONV Kurup, K Satchidanandan) for a unique and compelling joint reading encompassing poetry in Welsh, English and Malayalam. Poet and dancer Tishani Doshi read from her debut novel 'The Pleasure Seekers', and National Poet of Wales Gillian Clarke discussed her much-loved poetry in a separate session. To wrap up, the five poets attending explored how poets from Wales and Kerala respont to the different challenges and opportunities of writing across more than one language.

Running alongside the special Wales programme was the regular programme of events which included writer Marcus du Sautoy speaking about his recent book 'The Number Mysteries', and Climate Change authority Nicholas Stern in a stimulating conversation with Rosie Boycott.

On 13 November The British Council's international climate champions local champions' work was honoured, and on the final day beloved British author Sebastian Faulks made a rare appearance to discuss his writing with Rosie Boycott.