THE PRICE OF IDEAS
Salman Rushdie has had to withdraw from his Australian tour for health reasons. We’re sorry for any disappointment and wish him a full recovery. If you have booked a ticket to this session, you will be contacted via email and receive a refund.
A message from Sir Salman Rushdie:
“It is with real regret that I must cancel my upcoming appearances in Sydney and Melbourne. I need urgent eye surgery, and my surgeon has advised me against long-distance travel while I recover. With only one functioning eye, I have no choice but to prioritise this essential surgery. I am deeply sorry to disappoint the readers and audiences I was so looking forward to meeting, and I hope to make the journey to Australia before too long. My apologies to all.”
The rest of the Festival continues as planned – explore what else is on
Salman Rushdie [USA/UK]
Salman Rushdie is the best-selling author of twenty-two books, including Midnight’s Children, which won both the Booker Prize and the Best of the Booker; Shame, The Satanic Verses, The Moor’s Last Sigh, and Quichotte, all of which were shortlisted for the Booker Prize; East West a collection of stories; Joseph Anton a memoir; The Jaguar Smile a work of reportage; and three collections of essays, including Languages of Truth. His most recent book, Knife: Meditations After an Attempted Murder, was a finalist for the 2024 National Book Award for nonfiction. Rushdie is a member of the American Academy of Arts and Letters and a fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, and he is a Distinguished Writer in Residence at New York University. He is a former president of PEN America and the recipient of the PEN Centenary Courage Award. His books have been translated into over forty languages. In 2023, he was named one of Time’s 100 Most Influential People of the Year, and has received a Queen’s knighthood for his ‘services to literature’.
SIMON LONGSTAFF
Simon Longstaff began his working life on Groote Eylandt in the Northern Territory of Australia. He is proud of his kinship ties to the Anindilyakwa people. After a period studying law in Sydney and teaching in Tasmania, he pursued postgraduate studies as a Member of Magdalene College, Cambridge. In 1991, Simon commenced his work as the first Executive Director of The Ethics Centre, a role he continues today. In 2013, he was made an officer of the Order of Australia (AO) for “distinguished service to the community through the promotion of ethical standards in governance and business, to improving corporate responsibility, and to philosophy.” Simon is an Adjunct Professor of the Australian Graduate School of Management at UNSW Sydney, a Fellow of CPA Australia, the Royal Society of NSW and the Australian Risk Policy Institute.
We acknowledge the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation - the custodians of the country on which we meet - and acknowledge their Elders, past and present.
The views and opinions expressed by the Festival participants are not necessarily the views of The Ethics Centre and our partners.