Hiraeth Erzolirzoli: A Wales – Cameroon Anthology (Swansea: Hafan Books) was given a spectacular launch in Yaounde, capital of Cameroon, in October 2018.
The book features about 20 Welsh writers and 20 Cameroonian writers selected by editor Eric Ngalle Charles, a Cameroon-born writer of Wales (his memoir I, Eric Charles, Migrant will appear with Parthian Books in July).
The launch drew top Cameroonian political and arts personalities. The first ever Welsh-African joint anthology was enthusiastically covered in all Cameroonian arts media. Wales Arts International funded travel by Eric, Ifor and Mike as part of ongoing projects to develop Wales+Africa arts links.
Wales PEN Cymru is specifically interested in supporting refugee/exiled writers in Wales. Eric is an excellent example of how, as time passes and political scenery changes, an exiled writer can become a two-way ambassador.
