The Centre for International Affairs, in collaboration with the Goethe-Institut Colombo, organised a reading session featuring the acclaimed German poet and essayist Max Czollek. The event took place on the 21^st of January 2025 at the Faculty of Humanities Boardroom in the K14 building.

During the session, Max Czollek read excerpts from his celebrated works De-Integrate and Gute Enden. The readings were followed by an engaging discussion where attendees explored themes from his writings, addressing questions posed by faculty and students.

Max Czollek is a renowned writer, lyric poet, stage performer, curator, and political scientist. He is a member of the G-13 authors’ collective and is widely recognized for his influential contributions to memory culture, integration, and Jewish identity in post-war Germany. In addition to his literary achievements, he earned his doctorate from the Center for Research on Antisemitism at Technische Universität Berlin in 2016. Notably, in 2024, he served as the DAAD Distinguished Chair in Contemporary Poetics at New York University.

This event provided a valuable opportunity for participants to engage with contemporary German literature and thought, fostering cultural exchange and intellectual dialogue.

Representing the Goethe-Institut Colombo were the Director, Mr. Stephan Winkler, and intern Ms. Esta Winkler. Senior Professor Neelakshi C. Premawardhena, Director of the Centre for International Affairs; Ms. Rasangi Gamage, Coordinator for International Cooperation; and academic staff and students from the German section of the Department of Modern Languages participated in the event.