speech festival website

The Festival Speech Synthesis System

• Online demo
• Technical online demo with more voices

Current version

Current personnel.

• Alan W Black (CMU)
• Rob Clark (CSTR)
• Korin Richmond (CSTR)
• Junichi Yamagishi (CSTR)
• Keiichiro Oura (Nitech)
• Simon King (CSTR)

Past Personnel

• Paul Taylor
• Richard Caley

Mailing lists

Other resourses.

Competition Events

Competition Events Guide

Speech  involves a presentation by one or two students that is judged against a similar type of presentation by others in a round of competition. There are two general categories of speech events, public address events and interpretive events.  Public address events  feature a speech written by the student, either in advance or with limited prep, that can answer a question, share a belief, persuade an audience, or educate the listener on a variety of topics.  Interpretation events center upon a student selecting and performing published material and appeal to many who enjoy acting and theatre. 

Debate involves an individual or a team of students working to effectively convince a judge that their side of a resolution or topic is, as a general principle, more valid. Students in debate come to thoroughly understand both sides of an issue, having researched each extensively, and learn to think critically about every argument that could be made on each side.

To learn more about each event, click on the event name.

Interp events.

• Dramatic Interpretation (DI)
• Duo Interpretation (DUO)
• Humorous Interpretation (HI)
• Poetry (POE)
• Program Oral Interpretation (POI)
• Prose (PRO)
• Storytelling (STO)

Public Address Events

• Commentary (EXC)
• Declamation (DEC)
• Expository (EXP)
• Impromptu (IMP)
• Informative Speaking (INF)
• International Extemporaneous Speaking (IX)
• Mixed Extemporaneous Speaking (MX)
• Original Oratory (OO)
• Original Spoken Word Poetry (SW)
• Pro Con Challenge (PCC)
• United States Extemporaneous Speaking (USX)

Debate Events

• Big Questions (BQ)
• Congressional Debate (House & Senate) (CON)
• Extemporaneous Debate (XDB)
• Lincoln-Douglas Debate (LD)
• Policy Debate (CX)
• Public Forum Debate (PF)
• World Schools Debate (WS)

Students are presented with prompts related to societal, political, historic or popular culture and, in 20 minutes, prepare a five-minute speech responding to the prompt. Students may consult articles and evidence they gather prior to the contest. At the National Tournament, students may use internet during preparation. Some other tournaments may not. The speech is delivered from memory and no notes are allowed.

About Declamation

About Dramatic Interpretation

About Duo Interpretation

About Expository

About Humorous Interpretation

About Impromptu

Impromptu is a public speaking event where students have seven minutes to select a topic, brainstorm their ideas, outline and deliver a speech. The speech is given without notes and uses an introduction, body, and conclusion. The speech can be light-hearted or serious. It can be based upon prompts that range from nursery rhymes, current events, celebrities, organizations, and more.

An adapted version of Impromptu, Prepared Prompt Speaking, has been used at online tournaments. In Prepared Prompt, students will be given a list of topics prior to the tournament, select one prompt from the official list, prepare a speech, and submit it through the recording process.

Impromptu is a public speaking event that tests a student’s ability to analyze a prompt, process their thoughts, organize the points of the speech, and deliver them in a clear, coherent manner. Students’ logic is extremely important. They must be able to take an abstract idea, such as a fortune from a fortune cookie, and put together a speech that has a thesis and supporting information.

About Informative Speaking

Informative is a speech written by the student with the intent to inform the audience on a topic of significance. Students in informative may use a visual aid. Informative gives students the unique opportunity to showcase their personality while educating the audience. An Informative is not simply an essay about the topic—it is a well researched and organized presentation with evidence, logic, and sometimes humor to convey a message. Topics are varied and interesting. Whether it be a new technological advance the audience is unaware of or a new take on a concept that everyone is familiar with, Informative is the students opportunity to teach the audience. Types of topics and structure vary greatly.

About International Extemp

International Extemporaneous Speaking, typically called International Extemp, is a speech on current International events with limited preparation time. A student’s understanding of important political, economic, and cultural issues is assessed along with critical thinking and analytical skills. Students report to a draw room (often referred to as Extemp prep) where all of the Extempers gather at tables, set out their files, and await their turn to draw topics. Students may access research brought with them to the tournament during the 30-minute preparation period. Some tournaments, including the NSDA National Tournament, will permit students to use the internet to research during preparation time. When prep time is up, the student reports to the competition room to deliver a 7 minute speech. Students have a lot to do in 30 minutes—they must select a question, review research, outline arguments with supporting materials, and practice at least part of the speech before time expires. Many tournaments prohibit the consultation of notes during the speech in which case speech structure and evidence need to be memorized during prep time as well.

Mixed Extemp

Mixed Extemp combines international and domestic issues (as opposed to two separate events like high school). Mixed Extemp is an event at the NSDA Middle School National Tournament. Students are presented with a choice of three questions related to national and international current events. The student has 30 minutes to prepare a seven-minute speech answering the selected question. Students may consult articles and evidence to help with their preparation. The internet may be used during preparation time at the NSDA Middle School National Tournament, though local events may not allow use of internet.

About Original Oratory

About Original Spoken Word Poetry

The maximum time limit is 5 minutes with a 30-second grace period. The delivery must be memorized, and no book or script may be used. No more than 150 words of the original poetry may be direct quotation from any other speech or writing. A successful performer will craft a piece that elicits critical thought, reflection, or emotion. As opposed to traditional Poetry, Spoken Word Poetry is created to be performed aloud and may feature rhythmic flow, vivid imagery, word play, gestures, lyrical elements, and repetition. Use the Getting Started with Original Spoken Word Poetry guide as a helpful tool to explore ways to express thoughts and experiences through poetry.

About Poetry

Poetry is characterized by writing that conveys ideas, experiences, and emotions through language and expression. Often Poetry is very creative in terms of vocabulary and composition. While Poetry may tell a story or develop a character, more often Poetry’s focus on language and form are designed to elicit critical thought, reflection, or emotion. Students may choose what the National Speech & Debate Association refers to as traditional Poetry, which often has a formal meter or rhyme scheme, or nontraditional Poetry, which often has a rhythmic flow but lacks formal rhyme or meter. Poetry is different than Original Spoken Word Poetry in that students in Poetry will perform works written by others. In Poetry, students may chose to perform one long poem or create a program of poetry from one source or multiple sources.

Pro Con Challenge

Students select the National Tournament topic for CX, LD, or PF or a piece of legislation in the Congressional Debate Docket and write a 3-5 minute affirmative speech and a 3-5 minute negative speech on that topic. This event allows students to explore debate topics in a new and exciting way while showing off their writing, research, and delivery skills.

About Progam Oral Interpretation

About Prose

About Storytelling

Storytelling consists of sharing a story with an audience, performed as if the audience were a group of young children. Some tournaments have themes that the story selection must fit in; the National Tournament does not have a theme, and any story selection is acceptable. The story must not exceed five minutes. Students may use a full range of movement to express themselves and may incorporate a chair in a variety of different ways, though the chair may not be used as a prop during the performance. Students may be seated but most commonly performers use a full range of stage space available to them. As there are so many different types of stories that can be performed, it is important to observe rounds to see what other students and teams are using. The Association has final rounds of Storytelling from both the high school and middle school level to review. Local and regional tournaments may vary in the selection of stories performed.

About United States Extemp

About Big Questions Debate

Time limits.

*Each team is entitled to three minutes of prep time during the round.

About Congressional Debate

About Extemporaneous Debate

About Lincoln-Douglas Debate

Lincoln-Douglas Debate typically appeals to individuals who like to debate, but prefer a one-on-one format as opposed to a team or group setting. Additionally, individuals who enjoy LD like exploring questions of how society ought to be. Many people refer to LD Debate as a “values” debate, as questions of morality and justice are commonly examined. Students prepare cases and then engage in an exchange of cross-examinations and rebuttals in an attempt to convince a judge that they are the better debater in the round.

About Policy Debate

About Public Forum Debate

About World Schools Debate

8 - 10 June 2024

Venue sponsor dalton school hong kong, application closed, event categories, nursery rhyme.

The piece performed must be memorised and recited in spoken format, without melody. No props are allowed.

Age 3 years

Ages 4 - 10 years, ages 5 - 12 years, reading aloud.

The piece performed must be read aloud from the text which should be held in the hand and referred to, not memorised. No props are allowed.

Ages 6 - 10 years

Public speaking.

Each speaker may speak for up to 3 minutes. An easel will be available if the speaker wishes to use a presentation board but this is not compulsory. Cue cards are allowed and optional.

Ages 8 - 12 years

Find your event, the event age is the age your child will be on 11 june 2024.

Please note that your child's event age and current age may not be the same

Please select your child's event age from the bar below TO access the performance pieces

Mary Had a Little Lamb

VENUE SPONSOR

Dalton school, 10 hoi fai rd, tai kok tsui, hong kong.

Competition schedule will be announced via email

(email sent from  [email protected] ) in April 2024.

Speech Festival

*NEW* Click to access audio files for the 2023 Solo verse poems*

*Click to access the audio files for the 2022 Solo verse poems*

Speech Festival 2022 was once again in pre-recorded form But that didn't prevent our particpants from a strong showning. 

Rizvi - Putri- Setiamawan(4c 22) placing 3rd in her group for her Solo recital of a 'Televised surprise' by David Harmer.

Teacher in Charge: Ms. Aisha 

Rizvi-Putri-Setiamawan(4C 22) and Khadeeja(4C 12) placing third in group for their Dramatic Duologue peformance of the 'Little Match Girl'

Teacher in charge: Mr. Wattie

Asif Mohammad Yousaf Khan(3B 05) placed 3rd in Group for his Solo rectial of 'An Alphabet Trip Through Space' by Angi Holden

Teacher in Charge: Mr. Dev

Mohamed Sabreen(3B 18)  won 1st in Group for her Solo rendition of 'The Snowman by Roger McGough.

Teacher in charge: Ms. Sobia

Secondary 2 Boys Solo Group [3rd Prize 20 20 ]

Rahman md aniq 2b (2 2 ) .

Performing ' The Blackout ' by John Mole , Aniq was to convey the undu lating emotions experienced for just a brief moment by a traveller following his awakening to a completely dark hotel room in the middle of the night. The emotions expressed by the poem takes quite a twist from being in a sort of fright and suspense in stanzas 1-6 to one of relief in stanzas 7-10.  Yet Aniq managed to juggle with those subtle mood changes so tactically and masterfully in his delivery, which eventually earned him a 3rd Prize. 

Secondary 2 Boys Solo Group [2nd Prize 2019]

2b 16 sadiq abdul hameed zoraiz.

Performing "A Small Dragon" by Brian Patten, Zoraiz displayed his lyrical and performing prowess, convincing his audience and the adjudicator that he just made a small but big discovery in a woodshed. In the past two years, he has placed in the Top 3 in his group.

Secondary 5-6 Duologue Group [Champion 2018]

Mr. wattie (net) ; asiya yu 5c(21) ; fatima waheed 5c(6).

Performing 'Wait Until Dark' by Frederick Knott, our girls had to depict a blind mother and her estranged daughter that somehow are connected to a murder that they had no idea about. They practiced for 2 months non-stop and had lots of laughs in between which amounted to their excellent showing. 

FREE SPEECH FILM FESTIVAL

American insight’s mission is to promote the history and values of free speech, human rights, and the rule of law by empowering students to discuss how these values are expressed in societies around the world., submit your film: 2024 free speech film festival, february 1 – april 30, vote 4 free speech, your vote counts, july 4th – 14th, make history every day, think for yourself discover your voice speak out and be heard, showcasing  award-winning directors, globally-known artists, authors and scholars..

SPOTLIGHT BLOG

Articles, announcements, thoughts, interviews and more— featuring free speech film festival award-winning directors..

Sam French, 2023 Free Speech Film Festival Official Selection Winner, Believes in Amplifying the Voices of Others

Sam French and co-director Clementine Malpas began making the film, about the right to speak out and being able to express your thought, at the height of the international occupation of Afghanistan....

Chrishenda Dawkins, 2023 Official Selection Winner, Shows How Human Rights Issues Can Impact Entire Families

Sometimes it's hard to find the words to convey how we feel about the tragedies that impact our lives. For Chrishenda Dawkins, making My Mother's Voice turned out to be a profound way to show what she couldn't say out loud....

Major Gloria Downey, 2023 Official Selection Winner, Gives a Voice to Women In War

Gloria Downey's Women of War: Invisible is a feature documentary that tells the story of three female combat veterans of the post-9/11 era through interviews and dance....

Melinda Raebyne, the 2023 Free Speech Award Winner, Helps the Cuban People Scream for Freedom

Melinda Raebyne has a passion for telling a hero's story and showcasing the resiliency of the human spirit. ...

Director Eugene Marlow Shares How Winning the 2022 Free Speech Award for Jazz in China Inspired His Future Projects

The value of Free Speech and freedom of expression has been woven into the fabric of director Eugene Marlow's life since he was a child....

Wu-Ching Chang, Director of 2022 Official Selection Winner My Grandmother is an Egg, Will Be June SPEAK EZ Guest

Wu-Ching Chang is an award-winning animation director who is passionate about female empowerment, modernity, and humanistic perspectives....

PREVIOUS AWARD WINNERS

Other projects, learn about american insight, free speech blog.

The Free Speech Blog generates original materials that highlight Free Speech heroes, historical facts, and  discoveries made by American INSIGHT during its ongoing research into the history of Free Speech.

Free Speech Storyline

The Free Speech STORYLINE documents the evolution of  Free Speech, Human Rights, and the Rule of Law since the sealing of the Magna Carta in 1215.  American INSIGHT’s  Free Speech Award-winning film  is added to the Free Speech Storyline every year.

Support Free Speech

Become a friend of american insight.

Free Speech Film Festival

Celebrate the passionate innovations of independent filmmakers.

American INSIGHT’s Free Speech Film Festival highlights the ideas, perspectives and voices that are vital to the future of Free Speech, Human Rights, and the Rule of Law around the world.

Independent filmmakers are invited to submit films that present their unique perspectives in the fight against injustice, and engage the global community in deeper conversations about Free Speech, Human Rights, and the Rule of Law.

During the past decade, thousands of films have been submitted to our annual online Free Speech Film Festival from over 77 countries, and 60 of these have become featured our Free Speech Films, promoted around the world.

American INSIGHT has developed its online course,  Make History Everyday!  for use by individuals, institutions, libraries and schools. We provide a number of pricing options to meet various needs, and look forward to discussing them with you.

The Free Speech Award

American INSIGHT’s annual Free Speech Award celebrates filmmakers who put their voices behind the fight against global injustice. Only one film wins each year. Over the past decade, independent films have been submitted from (or about) 77 countries and 7 continents.

Previous Award Winners

Ellos Gritan Libertad (They Scream Freedom)

After many long years of food shortages, dilapidated buildings, increasing wealth gaps, and strictly suppressed political unrest, Cuba has reached a boiling point. Thousands have taken to the streets in an unprecedented eruption of protest, crying out for their basic human right to freedom.

2023 Winner

Jazz in China

“Jazz in China: The Documentary” chronicles the 100-year story of how jazz—a democratic form of music through improvisation—exists and thrives in China—a country with a long tradition of adherence to central authority.

2022 Winner

Foot Steps on the Wind

Footsteps in the Wind is an animated short film to Sting’s song “Inshallah.” Based on the harsh and intense reality of refugees around the world, this film is a narrative journey told through the eyes of children who never give up on their dreams.

2021 Winner

Boxed is a documentary by Wanjiru Njendu based on the true story of an enslaved man who mailed himself to freedom in Philadelphia in 1849.

2020 Winner

Stay in the loop. Sign up for our Free Speech Newsletter.

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Privacy Overview

Butte County Office of Education

• Elementary Schools
• Middle Schools
• High Schools
• Student Services
• Student Events
• Speech Festival Camp

About Speech Festival Camp

• Recite a monologue with meaning and feeling
• Improve public speaking skills
• Learn to feel at ease in front of a group of people
• Learn to create a tolerance for exposure
• Be able to think on your feet

2023-2024 Event Details

Previous year's highlights.

• Academic Decathlon
• Great Kindness Challenge
• High School Voter Education Week
• Juried Art Show
• National History Day
• Poetry Out Loud
• Spelling Bee
• Junk Robotics Workshop
• Red Ribbon Week
• Vex Robotics League

K S LO ENGLISH

An english blog by hkma k s lo college, 75th speech festival (2023) entries now open, september 3, 2023 ken kum comments 0 comment, for the list of poems and entry link, refer to the related email on eclass., ⇒ log in to eclass.

• For ‘ Area Code (地區代號) ‘, please enter ‘ Y ‘.
• The ‘ Class No. (項目編號) ‘ corresponds to the  number of the poem you have chosen . For example, if you have chosen poem Y63, enter ’63’ for the Class No.
• Don’t forget to  click  ‘ Submit to School / Tutor (提交至學校 / 老師) ‘ located at the bottom right of the page in the final step.
• https://drive.google.com/file/ d/19xydxoTgSQSTJHHal- 6abTYhG9MN9jAo/view?usp=drive_ link
• https://www.hksmsa.org.hk/en/? page_id=5166

The entry fee for the competition is $150, but  you will only be required to pay  $50  as the school will sponsor the remaining $100.This year,  all competitions will be held in  live competition mode , meaning you will need to attend the competition at a designated venue. For more details, visit the official website:

• https://www.hksmsa.org.hk/en/ speech-festival/hong-kong- schools-speech-festival- english-speech/

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May is Now National Speech-Language-Hearing Month!

• May 2, 2024

National Speech-Language Hearing Month 1 (NSLHM ) is an opportunity for ASHA members to come together around the shared goal of helping the people we serve and reaching out to people who need our services. For more than 50 years, ASHA has led efforts to focus on public outreach during this month, providing members with a variety of tools to do the same. By sharing more on what we do and who we work with every day, we can show individuals that they’re not alone—and that ASHA members can help.

Resources for Children and Families

Last November, ASHA announced new Developmental Milestones for communication and for feeding and swallowing. These milestones let parents and caregivers know what skills they should expect from children ages 0–5 and provide resources on how to get screened by an ASHA professional if these milestones aren’t met. You can find the articles that informed ASHA’s Developmental Milestones in our Special Collection .

In addition, ASHA has also developed and/or co-authored (with top organizations) a number of articles for families. These plain-language resources teach parents about different types of communication and how to protect their children’s hearing.

The NSLHM home page also includes resources in English and Spanish for parents of babies, toddlers, and preschoolers—these resources teach parents how to introduce and use technology in a healthy way. Technology is all around us, and ASHA members can help parents navigate technology options and prioritize social communication.

Get Involved All Month Long

This year during NSLHM, ASHA is discussing harmful stigmas that affect people with communication disorders and that even prevent people from seeking help. We hope you can spread the word that seeking care from an ASHA professional can help people communicate with their loved ones and those around them—throughout this month and beyond!

You can show your support for NSLHM in a variety of ways—including through social media images, Zoom backgrounds, and printable PDF posters—all available on the NSLHM website . We’ll add new resources throughout the month, so be sure to check back often, and follow ASHA on social media to learn more!

1 Formerly known as Better Hearing and Speech Month

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About the ASHA Journals

ASHA publishes four peer-reviewed scholarly journals and one peer-reviewed scholarly review journal pertaining to the general field of communication sciences and disorders (CSD) and to the professions of audiology and speech-language pathology. These journals are the  American Journal of Audiology ;  American Journal of Speech-Language Pathology ;  Journal of Speech, Language, and Hearing Research ;  Language, Speech, and Hearing Services in Schools ; and Perspectives of the ASHA Special Interest Groups . These journals have the collective mission of disseminating research findings, theoretical advances, and clinical knowledge in CSD.

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May Is National Speech-Language-Hearing Month

Each May, Noisy Planet joins the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) in observing National Speech-Language-Hearing Month. Noisy Planet celebrates this annual opportunity to raise awareness about communication disorders and hearing health. Learn how to protect yourself and your loved ones from noise-induced hearing loss.

Exposure to loud noises can damage your hearing. Noise-induced hearing loss may not be noticeable at first, but it can get worse over time, particularly as you get older. Speech and music may begin to sound muffled or unclear, making it difficult for you to interpret sounds.

You can protect your hearing — and your children’s hearing — from noise damage with these three steps:

• Lower the volume.
• Move away from the noise.
• Wear hearing protectors, such as earplugs or protective earmuffs.

Promoting and modeling healthy hearing habits can help children and teens protect their hearing for life. During National Speech-Language-Hearing Month and beyond, join Noisy Planet in spreading the word about noise-induced hearing loss prevention. Share our National Speech-Language-Hearing Month image, available in English and Spanish , on social media.

Learn more about disorders related to hearing, voice, speech, and language on the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD) website.

April 22, 2024

Journey of Sound to the Brain

Learn how sounds make their way from the source to your brain.

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It's a Noisy Planet. Protect Their Hearing.®

This national public education campaign is designed to increase awareness among parents of children ages 8 to 12 about the causes and prevention of noise-induced hearing loss. With this information, parents and other adults can encourage children to adopt healthy hearing habits before and during the time that they develop listening, leisure, and working habits.

It's a Noisy Planet. Protect Their Hearing.® and the Noisy Planet logo are registered trademarks of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

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A Prominent Free-Speech Group Is Fighting for Its Life

I n 2015, PEN America, the organization devoted to defending free speech, chose to honor the French satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo at its annual gala. A few months earlier, Islamic extremists had murdered 12 people at the publication’s offices in Paris. The rationale for recognizing the magazine seemed airtight: People had been killed for expressing themselves, and PEN America’s mission is to protect people targeted for what they express. For some writers connected with the organization, however, this reasoning was not so obvious. Six of them boycotted the gala, and 242 signed a letter of protest. In their eyes, Charlie Hebdo ’s editorial staff, including those recently killed, embodied a political perspective that was unworthy of plaudits. The magazine frequently mocked Islam (and, in particular, caricatured the Prophet Muhammad), and this was a form of punching down, insulting a population that, as the letter put it, “is already marginalized, embattled, and victimized.”

PEN America defended itself, the gala went on, and Salman Rushdie, a former president of the group and a writer who knows what it means to have his life endangered because of his art , was given the last word in a New York Times article about the brouhaha: “If PEN as a free speech organization can’t defend and celebrate people who have been murdered for drawing pictures, then frankly the organization is not worth the name.”

[ Read: Salman Rushdie strikes back ]

Rushdie, who helped found PEN America’s World Voices festival two decades ago, had no confusion about what the organization represented. Its role was not to take a position on the place of Islam in France or comment on the French state’s aggressive secularizing policies, which Charlie Hebdo ’s editors had championed through their cartoons. No, PEN America was simply there to protect the right of artists to draw, of writers to write.

The clash over Charlie Hebdo felt, in the moment, like a blip. It was not a blip. The forces that demanded PEN America stand for more—that it fight for issues its members considered to be matters of social justice, as opposed to the squishier but essential liberal ideals of openness and dialogue—have in the past two months managed to bring the organization to its knees. Unsurprisingly, the events of October 7, and all that followed, were the precipitating cause.

This afternoon, PEN America announced that it is canceling its World Voices festival—this year was to be the 20th anniversary of the annual international gathering of writers that Rushdie conceived as a way to encourage cross-cultural conversation and champion embattled artists. A cascade of authors, either out of conviction or under pressure, felt they couldn’t take part. PEN America had already decided last week to cancel its literary awards for the year after nearly half of the nominees withdrew their names from consideration. And its annual gala, a black-tie fundraiser scheduled for the middle of May, also seems hard to imagine right now. The language of the protest, too, has reached new extremes, with the most recent salvo demanding the resignation of PEN America’s CEO, Suzanne Nossel; its president, Jennifer Finney Boylan; and its entire board. Everyone I’ve spoken with there is in a state of high panic and deep sadness.

The existential conflict surrounding PEN America—the letters and counter-letters, withdrawals and statements of principle—captures the enormous rupture on the left since Hamas’s invasion of southern Israel on October 7 and Israel’s deadly response in Gaza. Can an organization that sees itself as above politics, that sees itself straightforwardly as a support system for an open society, be allowed to exist anymore? For the protesting writers, this lofty mission represents an unforgivable moral abdication at a moment of crisis. But if they have their way and PEN America doesn’t survive, where will these authors turn when they need defending?

From my own reading of the various letters of protest, the main demand of the now dozens upon dozens of writers protesting PEN America is this: They want the organization to say the word genocide —for PEN America to declare that what Israel is doing in Gaza is a deliberate effort to wipe out the Palestinian people, and act accordingly. From the perspective of the protesting writers, this interpretation of what has transpired since October 7 is both irrefutable and cause for repeating the charge as loudly as possible. “PEN America states that ‘the core’ of its mission is to ‘support the right to disagree,’” reads the most recent open letter . “But among writers of conscience, there is no disagreement. There is fact and fiction. The fact is that Israel is leading a genocide of the Palestinian people.”

Plenty of arguments exist on the side of those who do not see what Israel is doing as genocide—and they are compelling even for people like myself who believe that Israel has acted recklessly and in a way that constitutes collective punishment. But the writers protesting PEN America do not seem interested in a conversation or scrutiny or trying to contend with what Israel’s post–October 7 motives might be. They seem driven instead by an understandably deep emotional response to a devastating death toll and, like the greater pro-Palestinian movement, have decided to use the word genocide as the most resonant way to describe a conflict in which, according to Hamas’s Health Ministry, more than 33,000 Palestinians have now been killed. It has given them a sense of righteousness that is impossible to contain within an organization built on the “right to disagree.”

To follow the volley of letters and responses from PEN America over the past two months is to get a close-up look at the growing irreconcilability of these positions. The first serious sign of protest came in a March 14 letter from a group of writers, including Naomi Klein, Michelle Alexander, and Lorrie Moore, who declared that they would boycott the World Voices festival this year. Their stated reason was their unhappiness with what they took to be PEN America’s anemic response to the death and destruction in Gaza. They accused the organization of taking too long to call for a cease-fire and then, when it finally did, of demanding that it be “mutually agreed” (a reasonable phrasing given that, according to the U.S. State Department, it is Hamas that has rejected the latest cease-fire proposal). This was not “a clear call,” the writers said. Moreover, why had PEN America, they wanted to know, not joined the movement to boycott, divest, and sanction Israel? Sure, PEN America had put out a number of statements of concern about Palestinian writers and the worsening situation in Gaza (more than 40 statements , actually, since October 7), but where was the “action”?

The letter sought redress; it was not an attempt to burn it all down. And PEN America responded. In a letter that appeared a week later, the organization reasserted its mission without apology: “For some, referencing nuance is moral betrayal. For others, failure to do so is unconscionable. As an organization open to all writers, we see no alternative but to remain home to this diversity of opinions and perspectives, even if, for some, that very openness becomes reason to exit.” The response also included an unambiguous call for “an immediate ceasefire and release of the hostages,” an invitation for open dialogue with the protesters, and a commitment to increase the financial contribution to an emergency fund for Palestinian writers.

An excess of “openness,” the writers insisted in a response , was not their issue with PEN America; rather it was “a series of specific failures to act with urgency and substance in the face of ongoing war crimes, including a failure to use language to name these crimes as such under international humanitarian law.” To uncover what they saw as the bias behind this failure, the writers were calling for “a thorough review and examination of the conduct and performance of PEN America,” on the issue of Israel and Palestine. And they got what they wanted. On April 16, the organization announced to its staff the creation of a working group that would look back at the previous decade of statements on Israel and Palestine, and also make sure there was consistency in PEN America’s public remarks with regards to other conflicts, such as those in Ukraine, Iraq, Afghanistan, Myanmar, and Sudan.

But things continued to get worse. As PEN America geared up to announce the finalists for its awards, a large group of authors declared that they were taking their books out of contention. In a letter last week, Finney Boylan, a writer who became the organization’s president in December, tried to stanch the bleeding, calling Israel’s actions in Gaza an “abomination” (though not a genocide), arguing for the value of “conversation,” and lamenting that “some authors would rather silence themselves than be associated with an organization that defends free speech and dissent.”

Nothing seemed to convince the growing number of protesters. On April 17, those who had boycotted the awards delivered a letter , one which was then endorsed by the original group of writers protesting the festival. This one had none of the conciliatory tone of the original letter. It accused PEN America of propagating “ahistorical, Zionist propaganda under the guise of neutrality,” of “parroting hasbara talking points,” using the Hebrew word for “explanation” that anti-Israel activists associate with Israeli-government spin. Nossel in particular was singled out as someone who apparently had “longstanding commitments to Zionism, Islamophobia, and imperial wars in the Middle East.” The letter was nasty, absurd in its histrionics, suggesting essentially that PEN America was in cahoots with the Israeli military. PEN America was guilty of no less than “complicity in normalizing genocide.”

The people at PEN America whom I spoke with were left speechless by this letter, but also felt that it confirmed their perceptions of the protesters and their true motives—I understand, for example, why some who read the letter wonder whether the personal animus directed at Nossel is not just because she is the organization’s leader but because she is Jewish. The demand of these writers from the beginning, it now seemed clear, was not about the number of statements PEN America made about Palestinian writers and whether they matched the number made about Ukrainian writers. At question was language. And if PEN America was not willing to use the word genocide , then it existed on the other side of a bright-red line, outside the encampment. The breach was complete. The organization now appears broken in ways that seem impossible to imagine repairing.

When I spoke with Nossel last week, before the news about the canceled awards ceremony and festival, she put a brave face on PEN America’s predicament and insisted that she was staying true to the organization’s mission. Nossel is a former State Department official and was the executive director of Amnesty International USA before joining PEN America as its CEO in 2013.  “We see ourselves as guardians of open discourse,” she told me. “We really believe that we have to bring about a moment when these conversations can be had, and that, ultimately, the defeat of dialogue and the turning-away from dialogue is something dangerous for our democracy. We don’t want to just throw up our hands.” The festival, she said, was supposed to exemplify this philosophy. One of the events now canceled was to be a panel on “The Palestinian Exception to Free Speech,” about threats to those who speak up for Palestinian rights. Recent statements put out by PEN America have criticized the banning of Students for Justice in Palestine on college campuses and the decision by the University of Southern California to cancel the valedictory speech of a pro-Palestinian student.

The fundamental misperception at the center of this conflict is that PEN America sees itself as a free-speech organization, while the protesters see it as a channel to express their political views. I’ve read some of the letters addressed to PEN America from writers who decided to opt out of the festival—some after first saying they would participate despite the pressure—and there is a clear pattern: Many seemed worried about failing a political litmus test, that they would be throwing in their lot with the normalizers of genocide if they took part in a panel on translation or memoir writing . One letter from a prominent author who had chosen to withdraw mentioned “ongoing harassment.”

PEN America has grown enormously in the past 10 years, from an organization with a budget of $2 million to one with $24 million, and a staff that went from 14 to nearly 100 in that time. It has worked on a wide range of issues, from cataloging book banning to reporting on writers under assault in Latin America. Some of the people I’ve spoken with who have had leadership positions at PEN America have wondered, though, if an outsize focus on threats to free speech from the right has unwittingly contributed to the politicization and the current confusion about what PEN is supposed to be for. One of these PEN America insiders told me that he thought 90 percent of the issues the organization had been campaigning for could be construed as progressive causes.

The group’s free-speech absolutism may have become muddied in the process. “I would say that in the end, if we can get out of this situation,” this same person told me, “if we can find a way to come back to the preservation of the essential mission, which is to stand for free speech and free expression, and the proliferating nature of those demands and those challenges in a 21st century, and not be so exclusively wedded to our fights on behalf of the left, then I think we will have made a real step forward.”

Note those if s. At the moment, momentum is on the side of the protest, which will claim the cancellation of the festival as a victory. It now seems entirely possible that PEN America may not survive this episode. But I wonder whether these writers really appreciate exactly who will be most hurt if they achieve their goal. How many organizations exist that raise tens of thousands of dollars to support translators and emerging writers? How many festivals bring to the United States creative people from around the world to talk about their art, to debate and discuss the harsh conditions under which they work? How many organizations keep track of imprisoned authors? Does it really make sense to jettison such an entity without first thinking through what its absence would mean, what a world without PEN, without a defense of expression, whatever form it might take, would actually look like?

Or maybe just listen to the voice of a writer like Aatish Taseer, who turned to PEN America at a moment of need. The prime minister of India, Narendra Modi, offended by a critical article Taseer wrote in Time magazine, canceled Taseer’s overseas Indian citizenship (a special status accorded to Indians living abroad). This left Taseer “completely bereft,” he told me, unable to return to the country and see his family, including his grandmother before she died. He asked PEN America for help. “They pulled every possible lever they could on my behalf to try and bring attention to my case, and to try to bring about a change in my situation,” he said. “I’m sure that PEN has made missteps, but I would rather be able to influence the organization from within than trying to boycott it or shut it down,” he said. Given how much PEN America has done for him, the disappearance of such an organization, in spite of its imperfections, would be a “terrible loss.”

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Moscow International Business Center (Moscow City)

• Guide to Russia

What can you do at Moscow City?

• Dine in style: Moscow City is home to 100+ cafes and restaurants, including Europe’s highest restaurant and ice-cream shop
• See Moscow like never before: Ascend to one of Moscow City’s observation decks for an unparalleled panorama of Moscow
• Admire world-class architecture: Each of Moscow City’s skyscrapers has distinctive architecture and design
• Learn something new: Visit the Museum of High-Rise Architecture in Moscow or the Metro Museum

Moscow City is a multifunctional complex in the west of Moscow, which has come to represent the booming business of Russia’s capital. Its skyscrapers enrich Moscow’s skyline, contrasting the medieval cupolas and Stalinist high-rises. Visitors to Moscow City can enjoy entertainment high in the sky, as the complex is home not just to offices, but to restaurants, cinemas, viewing platforms, and museums.

Photo by Alex Zarubi on Unsplash

History of Moscow City

Moscow City was first conceived in 1991 by honoured Soviet architect Boris Tkhor, who proposed to construct a business center in Moscow. It would be complete with gleaming skyscrapers rivalling those of New York and London, to reflect the new life and growing ambitions of post-Soviet Russia.

The chosen site was a stone quarry and disused industrial zone in western Moscow, in between the Third Ring Road and Moskva River. Initially, the territory was divided into 20 sections arranged in a horseshoe shape around a central zone. The skyscrapers would increase in height as they spiralled around the central section, with shorter structures built on the waterfront to give the taller buildings behind a view of the river. 

Architect Gennady Sirota, who contributed to iconic projects such as the Olympic Sports Complex on Prospekt Mira, was selected as the chief architect, and many other world-famous architects were attracted to Moscow to realise their visions in Moscow City.

What can you see and do at Moscow City?

Where Moscow’s cityscape was once dominated by Stalin’s Seven Sisters skyscrapers , this is no more. Moscow City is home to eight of Russia’s ten tallest buildings, six of which exceed 300 metres in height. More buildings are still under construction there today, including the One Tower (which will be Europe’s second-tallest building). Once completed, Moscow City will comprise more than 20 innovative structures.

Each of Moscow City’s skyscrapers was designed by its own architect, lending the cluster of skyscrapers a unique appearance. Aside from being a site of architectural wonder, Moscow City is a place for leisure and entertainment with over 100 cafes and restaurants, exhibition spaces, cinemas, viewing platforms, and more.

Photo by Nikita Karimov on Unsplash

Federation Tower

• East Tower: 374m, 97 floors; West Tower: 243m, 63 floors
• Completed in 2017
• Architects: Sergey Tchoban and Peter Schweger

The East Federation Tower is the tallest building in Moscow, and the second-tallest building in Europe after the Lakhta Centre in St Petersburg. Visitors can enjoy a luxurious meal of seafood, truffles or steak at restaurant ‘Sixty’ on the 62nd floor of the West Tower, or visit Europe’s highest observation deck, ‘Panorama 360’, on the 89th floor of the East Tower.

Did you know? The ice cream and chocolate shop on the 360 observation deck are the highest in the world!

• South Tower: 354m, 85 floors; North Tower: 254m, 49 floors
• Completed in 2015
• Architect: Skidmore, Owings & Merrill LLP

The South OKO Tower is the third-tallest building in Russia and Europe. Here, you can visit ‘Ruski’ to dine on hearty Russian cuisine cooked on a real Russian stove, and have a drink in the ice bar. Alternatively, visit restaurant, nightclub and performance space ‘Birds’; the restaurant is the highest in Europe, situated on the 86th floor roof terrace alongside an observation deck. The OKO Towers are also home to karaoke club ‘City Voice’.

Did you know? Underneath OKO Towers is the largest underground parking in Europe, with 16 levels and 3,400 parking spaces.

Mercury Tower

• 339m tall, 75 floors
• Architects : Mikhail Posokhin, Frank Williams, Gennady Sirota

Another multifunctional skyscraper, which was designed as the first truly ‘green’ building in Moscow. The Mercury Tower has a distinct geometric shape and copper-coloured glazing, and was the tallest building in Europe upon completion. Visit ‘More i myaso’ (Sea and meat) on the first floor of the tower to enjoy European and Mediterranean cuisine whilst surrounded by greenery. On the 2nd and 40th floors a modern art gallery, the ‘ILONA-K artspace’, has just opened.

City of Capitals

• Moscow Tower: 302m, 76 floors; St Petersburg Tower: 257m, 65 floors
• Completed in 2009
• Architect: Bureau NBBJ

The unique geometric design of the City of Capitals towers resembles stacks of rotating blocks, and is rooted in Constructivism of the early Soviet period (many Soviet Constructivist buildings can be found in Moscow). Visitors to the Moscow Tower can enjoy a range of cuisines – traditional Italian dishes on the summer terrace of ‘Tutto Bene’, Panasian cuisine in the tropical luxury of the ‘Bamboo Bar’ on the 1st floor’, and poke or smoothie bowls at ‘Soul in the Bowl’ cafe on the 80th floor.

Tower on the Embankment

• Tower A: 84m; Tower B:127m; Tower C: 268m, 61 floors
• Completed in 2007
• Architects: Vehbi Inan and Olcay Erturk

After completion, the Tower on the Embankment was the tallest building in Europe, and is now the 13th tallest. It houses the headquarters of several large Russian and international  companies, including IBM and KPMG. There are two cafes located on the 1st floor of Tower C – self-service café ‘Obed Bufet’ (Lunch Buffet) and Bakery Chain ‘Khleb Nasushchny’ (Daily Bread).

Evolution Tower

• 255m tall, 54 floors
• Architects: Philip Nikandrov and RMJM Scotland Ltd

Evolution is Moscow City’s most recognisable tower, and the 11th tallest building in Russia. Its façade is a true architectural marvel, comprising continuous strips of curved glazing spiralling high into  the sky. According to the architect, Philip Nikandrov, the spiral shape of the tower honours centuries of architectural design in Russia, from the onion domes of St Basil's Cathedral to Vladimir Shukhov’s Tatlin Tower, a masterpiece of Constructivist design. Outside the Evolution tower is a landscaped terrace and pedestrian zone descending to the Presnenskaya Embankment, which was also designed by Nikandrov.

Did you know? Moscow’s largest wedding palace was supposed to be built on the site of the Evolution tower, though the project was abandoned.

• 239m tall, 60 floors
• Completed in 2011

Imperia’s interesting design has a curved roof and an arched glass façade. Inside the tower are various cafes including ‘City Friends’ for all-day breakfasts and light lunches, ‘Mama in the City’ for simple meals of Russian cuisine, and ‘abc kitchen’ for European and Indian-inspired dishes. Alternatively, visit ‘High Bar’ on the 56th floor for cocktails with a view. In Imperia you’ll also find the Museum of High-Rise Construction in Moscow (suitably located on the 56th floor), and the Camera Immersive Theatre.

Did you know? Inside Vystavochnaya metro station is the Metro Museum , dedicated to the history of the beautiful Moscow Metro!

• 130m tall, 26 floors
• Completed in 2001
• Architect: Boris Tkhor

Tower 2000 was Moscow City’s first tower. It stands on the opposite bank of the Moskva River, and houses a viewing platform from which visitors can admire an unparalleled panorama of Moscow City. The Bagration Bridge reaches across the river from the tower to Moscow City, and underneath are piers from where you can take boat trips.

Photo by Alexander Popov on Unsplash

Afimall is Moscow’s largest entertainment and shopping complex, home to 450 shops, cafes and restaurants, a cinema, and a virtual-reality game park. The shopping centre is located in the central section of Moscow City, and a cinema and concert hall are currently under construction there.

What’s nearby?

Sechenov Botanical Gardens: The botanical gardens of the First Moscow State Medical University was created for students’ training and research in 1946. Today it is open for free visits, and is home to a large arboretum.

Park Krasnaya Presnya: This park belonged to the Studenets estate of the Gagarin princes. It is a monument of 18th and 19th century landscaping, with Dutch ponds, ornate bridges, and tree-lined alleys. There are also sports facilities, sports equipment rental, and cafes.

Photo by Akkit  on Wikipedia

Essential information for visitors

Website: https://www.citymoscow.ru/

Email: [email protected]

Phone: +7 (495) 730-23-33

Nearest metro: Mezhdunarodnaya (closest to the skyscrapers), Delovoy Tsentr (underneath Afimall), Vystavochnaya (closest to Expocentre)

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Moscow - St. Petersburg 3-star cruise by Vodohod

This is our most popular cruise covering Moscow and St. Petersburg and all of the significant towns between these 2 cities. Besides the Two Capitals, you will visit the ancient towns of Uglich, Yaroslavl and Goritsy, the island of Kizhi, and Mandrogui village.

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This tour covers the best sights of Moscow and St. Petersburg along with a trip to the Golden Ring - a group of medieval towns to the northeast of Moscow. Ancient Kremlins, onion-shaped domes and wooden architecture is just a small part of what awaits you on this amazing tour.

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This is our most popular Moscow tour that includes all the most prominent sights. You will become acquainted with ancient Russia in the Kremlin, admire Russian art in the Tretyakov Gallery, listen to street musicians as you stroll along the Old Arbat street, and learn about Soviet times on the Moscow Metro tour.

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PEN America Cancels 2024 World Voices Festival Amid Further Fallout

Less than a week after canceling its 2024 Literary Awards ceremony following months of steadily mounting criticism over the organization's response to the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, PEN America has also canceled what would have been the 20th edition of its World Voices Festival . Both cancellations were made in the wake of a series of withdrawals from awards consideration—along with award refusals, in the case of World Voices cofounder Esther Allen —and from participation in the festival by an unprecedented number of authors.

The organization's third tentpole spring event, the PEN America Literary Gala, is currently slated to proceed as planned on May 16. A representative of PEN America also confirmed that the PEN/E.O. Wilson Literary Science Writing Award, PEN/Jacqueline Bograd Weld Award for Biography, PEN/John Kenneth Galbraith Award for Nonfiction, PEN/Diamonstein-Spielvogel Award for the Art of the Essay, and PEN Open Book Award—which were to be announced on a different, as-yet-unannounced timeline from the now-canceled awards ceremony—are also still proceeding as planned.

In recent weeks, PEN America's leadership has made some efforts to reconcile with its critics, including committing to conduct a "review" of PEN’s work "going back a decade." Moreoever, in the recent release announcing the cancellation of World Voices , PEN America’s chief officer of literary programming, Clarisse Rosaz Shariyf, pledged to host a town hall in the near future "to create a space to wrestle with the issues gripping the literary community and our own organization."

Stille, those efforts at reconciliation came even as PEN America continued to push back against those same critics. “We greatly respect those writers who have followed their consciences," Rosaz Shariyf said in a statement included in the release, "and stand with those who felt compelled to this decision by virtue of the pressures they faced.”

In her own statement from the release, PEN America CEO Suzanne Nossel—who has been specifically mentioned in much of the criticism of the organization, especially of late —characterized recent critique as "a campaign that casts our struggle to reflect complexity, uphold our identity as a big tent organization, and show fealty to our principles as a moral abdication." She added: "The perspective that engaging with those who hold a different point of view constitutes an impermissible act of legitimization negates the very possibility of dialogue. It also betrays the essence of PEN’s charter and mission to dispel hatreds and engage writers and literature as a catalyst for empathy and a bridge toward common ground.”

On Friday, PEN America also shared on X (formerly Twitter) a thread paraphrasing an article in the Atlantic , written by Gal Beckerman, which characterized the recent criticism of the organization as being rooted in "a sense of righteousness that is impossible to contain within an organization built on the 'right to disagree'" and described PEN as "an organization that sees itself as above politics." In response to the thread, some writers on X pointed to the organization's stated commitment to human rights, advocacy for Ukraine amid Russia's invasion, and criticism of book banning in the U.S. as examples of its political involvements.

A sympathetic op-ed in the New York Times , written by former New York Times Book Review editor Pamela Paul, also prompted a response further indicating divisions in the literary world over how literary organizations should address issues related to the war in Gaza. After Paul called, in the piece, the website Literary Hub "the de facto clearinghouse for pro-Palestinian literary-world sentiment," Dan Sheehan, the editor-in-chief of Lit Hub vertical Book Marks and currently the site's lead writer on issues related to Israel and Palestine, joked on X that Lit Hub might produce a tote bag touting that characterization.

A number of authors and organizations that have criticized PEN America, meanwhile, have begun planning programming of their own. On May 7 at Judson Memorial Church in Manhattan, the Palestine Festival of Literature , Writers Against the War on Gaza , and Amplify Palestine will hold an event, " Freedom to Write for Palestine ," featuring some of the writers who have withdrawn from PEN America's now-canceled programming. The event will raise funds for the Palestinian nonprofit We Are Not Numbers .

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The Red Square and beyond: a guide to Moscow’s neighbourhoods

Apr 23, 2019 • 6 min read

The Red Square, Kremlin and St Basil's Cathedral in Moscow at night © Mordolff / Getty Images

One of the world’s largest cities, Moscow is a true metropolis whose ancient neighbourhoods are interspersed with newly built high-rises, inhabited by people from all over the former Soviet Union.

It’s also the city of rings: the innermost is the Kremlin itself; further away are the former defensive rings, Boulevard Ring and Garden Ring; still further are the Third Ring Road and the MKAD, which delineates the city’s borders. There’s an ongoing joke that Moscow Mayor is the Lord of the Rings. Most sights are contained within the Garden Ring, although for some more authentic neighbourhoods one has to venture further out. To help you explore Moscow’s diversity, we picked our favourite ’hoods – but this list is by no means exhaustive.

The Red Square and around

It can be argued that Moscow, or even the whole of Russia, starts at the  Red Square  – it’s an absolute must-see for any visitor. After standing in line to check out Lenin’s granite  mausoleum , go to GUM , Moscow's oldest department store. Full of luxury shops, it’s famous for the glass roof designed by one of Russia’s most celebrated architects, Vladimir Shukhov. Apart from architectural wonders, GUM has several places to eat including the Soviet-style cafeteria Stolovaya No 57 where you can sample mysterious-sounding delicacies such as the ‘herring in a fur coat’.

On the opposite side of GUM, Kremlin ’s walls and towers rise above the Red Square. Walk through the Alexander Garden  and past the grotto to the Kremlin’s entrance. It’s a treasure trove for any art and history lover: ancient gold-domed churches, icons galore and the resting place of Moscow tsars.

On the other side of the Red Square is Moscow's symbol,  St Basil's Cathedral with its multi-colored domes. Right behind it is the newly built Zaryadye Park , which showcases flora from all over Russia; another attraction is the floating bridge jutting out above the embankment and the Moscow river. A glass pavilion nearby hosts Voskhod , a space-themed restaurant with dishes from all 15 former Soviet Union republics. It’s a perfect spot for a classy evening meal and there’s often live music.

Patriarch’s Ponds

The Patriarch’s Ponds (aka Patriki) is a historical neighbourhood, celebrated in Mikhail Bulgakov’s novel Master and Margarita . Located right off Tverskaya street, Moscow’s main thoroughfare, Patriki recently became the city’s most happening quarter. It has some of the most elegant architecture, including several buildings by art-nouveau genius Fyodor Shekhtel. Narrow streets here have a cozy feel, with recently widened sidewalks and bike lanes. In the summer it becomes party central.

Start by checking out free exhibitions or one of the cutting-edge performances at the experimental theatre Praktika . But make no mistake, the neighbourhood’s main attraction are its bars and restaurants. Patriki’s residents are well-off Russians and expats, so it’s no wonder that  Moscow’s recent culinary revolution started here. Uilliam’s , one of the pioneers of this foodie movement, still rules over the scene with its floor-to-ceiling windows. Also try AQ Chicken  for everything chicken-related, Patara  for a taste of Georgian cuisine, and Cutfish for some great sushi. Finish your gastronomic tour with original cocktails at Pinch or the Moscow outpost of NYC restaurant Saxon+Parole .

Around Kursky train station

For a long time, Kursky train station was surrounded by semi-abandoned factories and the area was best avoided. It all changed in the late 2000s, when a dilapidated wine factory was turned into Winzavod , a mecca for fans of contemporary art. Today these red-brick buildings are occupied by some of Moscow’s leading galleries. After taking in all the art, pop in the small wine bar Barrell  for a glass from burgeoning wineries of Russia’s south or grab a bite at Khitrye Lyudi  cafe.

Right next to Winzavod is Artplay , another refurbished factory full of design and furniture shops and large exhibition spaces.  It’s also home to  Pluton , one of the latest additions to Moscow’s dance scene. Other Pluton residents are the multimedia art gallery Proun  and another lunch option,  Shanhaika , with authentic Chinese cuisine.

A short walk away is Arma, where a cluster of circular gas holders has been turned into offices, restaurants and clubs including Gazgolder  (it belongs to one of Russia’s most famous rappers, Basta). Apart from hip-hop concerts, Gazgolder organises regular techno parties that sometimes go non-stop from Friday to Monday.

If you’re interested in religious architecture, Taganka is the place to go. First of all, see the old Moscow at Krutitskoye Podvorye – one of those places where nothing seems to have changed in centuries. The monastery was founded in the 13th century, but in the 16th century it became the home of Moscow metropolitans and most of the surviving buildings are from that epoch. Take a tour of the grounds, and don’t miss the interior and icons of the Assumption Cathedral.

Your next stop is the Rogozhskoe settlement of ‘old believers’, a branch that split from Russian Orthodoxy in the 17th century. The settlement is dominated by an 80m-tall bell tower. The yellow-coloured Intercession Church, built in neoclassical style with baroque elements, has an important collection of icons. Next to the church grounds is the popular Trapeznaya cafeteria, with Russian food cooked using traditional recipes – a perfect spot for lunch.

A short ride away is Andronikov Monastery, which today houses the Rublyov Museum  in the old monks’ quarters. There’s a great collection of ancient Orthodox icons although none by Andrei Rublyov, who was a monk here in the 15th century. The main attraction at the monastery is the small Saviour’s Cathedral, considered the oldest surviving church in Moscow.

Finish the day at the craft-beer cluster around Taganskaya metro station. Varka offers both Russian and imported labels, with the Burger Heroes stand serving arguably the best burgers in town. Craft & Draft looks more like a respectable old-fashioned pub, with decent food, 20 beers on tap and a hundred types of bottled brews.

Khamovniki is Moscow’s ancient textile district, named after the word kham  (a type of cloth). Two main thoroughfares, Ostozhenka and Prechistenka, cut through the neighbourhood parallel to each other. The former turned into the so-called ‘Golden Mile’ of Moscow in the 1990s, with the highest real-estate prices and some of the best examples of new Russian architecture, while the latter is still mostly lined up with impressive 19th-century mansions.

Khamovniki is somewhat of a literary quarter, as several museums devoted to Russia’s best-known writers – among them  Leo Tolstoy , Alexander Pushkin  and Ivan Turgenev – popped up here during the last century. There’s also plenty to see for an art lover. The  Multimedia Art Museum regularly hosts exhibitions by some of the best photographers from all over the world, as well as contemporary art. Several galleries, including RuArts  and Kournikova Gallery , have also found home in Khamovniki.

When you’ve had your fill of literature and art, stop by Gorod Sad on Ostozhenka, an outpost of a local health-food chain, and order dishes such as pumpkin soup or grilled vegetables salads. Afterwards, head to Dom 12 , which is located just off Ostozhenka street. This restaurant and wine bar is frequented by the city’s intellectuals and its schedule includes lectures, book presentations and film screenings, while in the summer guests migrate to a lovely courtyard.

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The trains and stations of the Moscow Metro

2 Comments · Posted by Alex Smirnov in Cities , Travel , Video

The Moscow Metro is the third most intensive subway system in the world after Tokyo and Seoul subways. The first line was opened on May 15, 1935. Since 1955, the metro has the name of V.I. Lenin.

The system consists of 12 lines with a total length of 305.7 km. Forty four stations are recognized cultural heritage. The largest passenger traffic is in rush hours from 8:00 to 9:00 and from 18:00 to 19:00.

Cellular communication is available on most of the stations of the Moscow Metro. In March 2012, a free Wi-Fi appeared in the Circle Line train. The Moscow Metro is open to passengers from 5:20 to 01:00. The average interval between trains is 2.5 minutes.

The fare is paid by using contactless tickets and contactless smart cards, the passes to the stations are controlled by automatic turnstiles. Ticket offices and ticket vending machines can be found in station vestibules.

Tags:  Moscow city

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Tomás · August 27, 2012 at 11:34 pm

The Moscow metro stations are the best That I know, cars do not.

Alberto Calvo · September 25, 2016 at 8:57 pm

Great videos! Moscow Metro is just spectacular. I actually visited Moscow myself quite recently and wrote a post about my top 7 stations, please check it out and let me know what you think! :)

http://www.arwtravels.com/blog/moscow-metro-top-7-stations-you-cant-miss

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The Profound Cowardice of the Free Speech Warriors

It was a week filled with hypocrites. but texas gov. greg abbott came close to winning the crown..

This is  Totally Normal Quote of the Day , a feature highlighting a statement from the news that exemplifies just  how extremely normal  everything has become.

“Some colleges are banning free speech on college campuses. Well, no more. Because I’m about to sign a law that protects free speech on college campuses in Texas. Shouldn’t have to do it. First Amendment guarantees it.” —Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, in a 2019 video and tweet

On Wednesday, the University of Texas at Austin added its name to the top of a lengthy and ignominious list when university president Jay Hartzell called in a mounted , multi-agency show of force to crack down on a student and faculty–led protest on campus. The programming of the protest day included guest speakers, study breaks, and an art workshop. Right around the time of the scheduled (and very menacing-sounding!) 6 p.m. pizza break, Hartzell unleashed not just the Austin Police Department but also Texas state troopers on his own students—one-upping Columbia University president Nemat Shafik in a standard-setting display of excessive retaliation against student demonstrations in a week chock full of it.

The raid at UT resulted in 57 arrests , including of a photojournalist for the local Fox affiliate who spent the night in jail.

The aggressive retribution of university administrations—unleashing police forces on their students, faculty, and department chairs gathering peacefully—has made for a low moment in the history of American education. And while Texas’ sweep was no more petty, tyrannical, dubious, or unnecessary than ones at Emory, Columbia, or USC, it takes the cake because of how annoying Texas politicians have been over the past few years, bleating about a commitment to free speech that they disposed of the instant a few kids voiced discomfort with the ongoing war in Gaza.

So, let’s quickly run down some of the most hypocritical actors in this whole display, and check out their pitiable explanations.

First up is Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, whose shamelessness requires no editorializing. Here’s a famous Greg Abbott tweet from 2019 , replete with front-facing video dispatch: “I just signed a law protecting free speech on college campuses,” he brags. Now, here’s Abbott on this week’s particular display of free speech on a Texas campus: Student protesters “belong in jail” and “should be expelled.”

Here’s UT president Jay Hartzell, stating that the justification for the military-infused crackdown on college kids and faculty this week was not the breaking of rules by the student protesters but the expectation that rules would be broken: “The group that led this protest stated it was going to violate Institutional Rules. Our rules matter, and they will be enforced,” Hartzell said.

Usually you have to commit a crime before getting arrested; here, per Hartzell, the crime was the possibility ! Suffice to say, this must be a lesser coda to the common refrain of the free speech warrior. I left my travel-sized Constitution at home, but perhaps someone could point me to this famed caveat of the First Amendment.

Finally, here’s a university statement claiming that protests were overrun by outsiders, who made up half of the arrests: “There was significant participation by outside groups present on our campus yesterday. This outside group presence is what we’ve seen from the affiliated national organization’s efforts to disrupt and create disorder.” All of the charges have already been dropped, a good indicator of just how criminal these actions were; UT has since reverted to another constitutional doozy of a solution: The administration has circulated guidance claiming that anyone arrested for trespassing is now barred from campus, even if those charges have been dropped .

Set aside, for a moment, the fact that part of the reason there were “outsiders” arrested on campus was because the police decided to arrest members of another constitutionally protected class, the media. UT itself hosts an annual Free Speech Week in which outside influence is encouraged on campus—and is specifically outlined as protected, provisioned for, and celebrated .

“State law in Texas actually allows members of the public just like our university community to come onto campus and use our common outdoor areas for speech activity,” Amanda Cochran-McCall, the school’s vice president for legal affairs and general counsel, said on a Free Speech Week panel just last year, in 2023.  “I think that surprises a lot of students, they show up here and think, ‘who is this random stranger setting up a table talking about this thing I find upsetting?’ But that’s protected by state law.”

It’s been obvious that conservative free speech warriors don’t delight in the exercise of all free speech on campus. But what this quote and the events of this week make crystal clear is that there is a very specific sort of free speech on campus they do delight in.

It’s not the free speech of students that the governor and his jackboots wants to protect, but the free speech of outsiders that offend the pious sensibility of left-wing students. This only works for conservatives as a one-way street, and the Cheshire grin of Cochran-McCall as she says outsiders’ free speech on campus is “protected by state law”—perhaps picturing horrified undergrads having to contend with some real off-putting shit (not off-putting like a protest over the U.S. helping to fund a war that has killed 15,000 children and is starving untold thousands more but … the good kind of off-putting, like, uh, racist stuff)—says it all.

At least some of the other universities that unleashed force on their students have the humility not to host a weeklong parade celebrating a principle they have little interest in abiding by!

Of course, in Texas, as in New York, California, and Georgia, the big guns only get you so far. The very next day, there were more protesters.

Why Gaza protests are gripping US campuses and what it could mean for the rest of the world

Pro-Palestine encampments have sprung up at American Ivy League institutions and now threaten to spread across the world

Campus demonstrations across the US have descended into violence as riot police forcibly shut down encampments at several universities.

The demonstrations began in the US last month to protest against Israel’s offensive in Gaza, which followed Hamas launching a deadly attack on Israel on Oct 7 .

In recent days, tensions between students and police have erupted, resulting in the arrest of more than 1,000 protesters.

Why are college students protesting in the US?

The protest movement was sparked on April 17 2024 at New York’s Columbia University when students pitched tents on a lawn to demonstrate their opposition to the war in Gaza.

They called on the leadership of Columbia to sell off the university’s investments in Israeli companies, declare its shareholdings and cancel a planned “global centre” in Tel Aviv.

Following the lead of the Columbia protesters, encampments sprung up at around 30 campuses across the US.

Harvard, Yale and UCLA are among the most high profile but there have also been significant demonstrations at the universities of Wisconsin, Arizona and Texas.

The protesters, who are a mix of students and activists, are typically demanding that colleges and universities stop doing business with Israel or companies that are connected to the Israeli military’s war in Gaza.

In a major escalation of tensions on Wednesday, demonstrators at the UCLA encampment were attacked by a gang of counter-protesters wielding sticks and throwing fireworks.

The following day, Los Angeles police in riot gear cleared out the encampment and arrested dozens of protesters .

Are the US college student protests legal?

The First Amendment of the US Constitution protects protests but there are restrictions such as time, place and manner. If violated there can be legal repercussions.

Demonstrators have been hit with charges from violating city ordinances and university codes of conduct to trespassing, assault, disorderly conduct and disturbing the peace.

At least 1,300 people are estimated to have been arrested since the tented protests began in mid-April 2024.

Some universities, such as Brown and Northwestern, have successfully reached deals with the protesters bringing a peaceful end to the encampments without calling in the police.

Have the protests spread outside America?

A handful of occupations and protests have sprung up at UK universities including Leeds, Warwick and University College London .

Demonstrations have also taken place at universities in Canada, France, New Zealand, Australia, France and Italy.

What are Joe Biden and Donald Trump saying?

Traditionally a strong supporter of Israel, Mr Biden has faced criticism from fellow Democrats over unwavering US support for its ally in the wake of civilian deaths in Gaza.

In late April 2024, Mr Biden condemned “anti-Semitic protests” and “those who don’t understand what’s going on with the Palestinians”.

He has also indicated that dealing with the protesters is a matter for each university’s leadership.

On Wednesday, Karine Jean-Pierre, the White House press secretary, said some demonstrations had crossed the line from free speech to unlawful behaviour.

“Forcibly taking over a building is not peaceful,” she said. “It’s just not.”

At a campaign event in Wisconsin the same day, Mr Trump called the protesters “raging lunatics and Hamas sympathisers” and accused Mr Biden of being “definitely against Israel”.

What happened at Columbia University and why does it matter?

A band of keffiyeh-clad students pitched their tents on the front lawn of Columbia’s New York campus in mid-April and refused to leave.

They claimed to be exercising their protected speech rights under the First Amendment which states there shall be no law “abridging the freedom of speech” or “the right of the people peaceably to assemble”.

The university authorities initially allowed the demonstration despite criticism from Jewish groups who said the protest had provoked anti-Semitism on campus.

However, after the protesters stormed a building on Tuesday April 30 and refused to let staff leave, the university said it was left with no choice but to call in the New York Police Department (NYPD) to forcibly remove them.

Images of the police clashing with demonstrators made headlines across America.

Manhattan district attorney Alvin Bragg said 282 arrests had been made at Columbia and nearby City University of New York campuses.

Universities across the world will be informed by Columbia’s experience

By Tony Diver, US Editor

The decision by Columbia University to call in the police has secured the protest’s place in history alongside demonstrations over the Vietnam War and South African apartheid.

The protesters got what they wanted in the form of endless media coverage of their antics and a major row over the heavy-handedness of the NYPD, which had already begun as police stormed the building on Tuesday night.

Claims circulated online that the police used tear gas have been denied. One sympathetic professor, posting a video from his window, cried: “These were peaceful protests!”

What is clear is that Baroness Shafik, Columbia’s president, had been left in an impossible position. With dozens of recent examples of anti-Semitism , pressure from the White House and a looming graduation ceremony planned on May 15, she could not allow the situation to continue.

But by acting to remove them, she has added fuel to the protesters’ argument that Columbia is an authoritarian institution that sympathises with what they claim is a genocide-supporting state.

As the dust clears and police officers take up residence to prevent the demonstrators returning, other universities will be watching.

Columbia’s experience may well be instructive to the dozens of institutions in the US, Britain and France that are already facing similar student demands and tactics.

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