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The Guardian - AU
The Guardian - AU
Entertainment
Sian Cain

Adelaide writers’ week 2026 cancelled as board apologises to Randa Abdel-Fattah for ‘how decision was represented’

Palestinian Australian author Randa Abdel-Fattah
The Adelaide festival board’s decision comes five days after it first announced it had intervened to drop Randa Abdel-Fattah from appearing at the writers’ week. Photograph: Blake Sharp-Wiggins/The Guardian

Adelaide writers’ week 2026 has been cancelled after days of turmoil as more than 180 authors and speakers dropped out in protest of the decision to disinvite the Palestinian Australian author Randa Abdel-Fattah.

In a statement on Tuesday afternoon, the Adelaide festival board announced the event, which was scheduled to begin on 28 February, would no longer go ahead. The three remaining members of the festival board have resigned immediately, after the resignations of four others – with the exception of the Adelaide city council representative, whose term expires in February.

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