Tunis: Guest of Honour at the 40th Tunis International Book Fair (FILT), Italian author Francesca Albanese, United Nations Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Palestinian territories occupied since 1967, presented her work "When the World Sleeps: Stories, Words, and Wounds of Palestine", a human account devoted to the wounds of war and Palestinian memory. The book was the subject of a lecture followed by a book-signing session as part of the Fair.
According to Agence Tunis Afrique Presse, in an interview with TAP, Albanese talked about her motivations for writing the book and her wish to "awaken a slumbering conscience". "When the World Sleeps" is intended as a direct testimony against international indifference. Translated into several languages, the book has been reissued in French by C©r¨s ‰ditions (264 pages) in April, marking its editorial establishment in Tunisia.
The book brings together accounts from Palestinians affected by war and occupation. 'The spirit of Palestine lives on in the stories that fill its streets,' states the book's introduction, referring to 'dignity in the face of suffering, beauty at the heart of disaster, and truth behind the walls'. The text gives a voice to civilians, healthcare workers, artists, and intellectuals through personal testimonies: 'a child killed in Gaza, a surgeon scarred by the horror he witnessed, an exiled artist, a Jewish thinker broken by apartheid'.
Explaining her need 'not to hide, not to deny, not to erase the betrayed, wounded humanity' she had encountered in her work on Palestine, Francesca Albanese states: 'There is so much beauty that is lost even in the darkness of documenting violations of international law'.
Asked about her choice of narrative over political or legal essays, Albanese advocates for 'a 100% legal narrative, but written in an accessible way', a far cry from the 'highly technical legal reports' drafted within the United Nations. 'My interest lies in raising awareness, not self-congratulation,' she stated, explaining her wish to bring the law back into everyday life. 'The law is a tool for everyone, yet it is underestimated and ignored, and that comes at a price,' she added.
The book thus presents itself as a 'hybrid work' blending personal narrative, historical reflection, and legal inquiry, with a 'political message' centred on 'the need to awaken the dormant conscience' and 'not to hide humanity'. Combining poignant testimonies with legal rigour, this work calls for global awareness of the Palestinian reality.
Referring to the figure of the intellectual as defined by Edward Said, she argues for the need to 'speak truth to power, even when that truth hurts'. The author explained that she had been working on this writing project for several years in order to address 'the confusion of narratives' surrounding the Palestinian cause and to explain the mechanisms of occupation and dehumanisation.
Parts of the book were conceived and written in Tunisia, where she has lived for nearly four years. Like other UN Special Rapporteurs, she carries out her mandate on a voluntary basis, under a framework designed to guarantee the independence of UN experts.
When asked what literature allows us to express that official reports or political language do not always convey, Francesca Albanese replied: 'human life, suffering, the destruction of the past, the present and the future'. 'We must see the other in every action we take or in every omission,' she added, considering that this lesson extends beyond just Palestine.
The book features a cover designed by Palestinian artist Malak Mattar. One chapter of the book is devoted to this artist, originally from Gaza, and her journey under occupation and war. The cover artwork, entitled "You and I," is inspired by a poem by Palestinian poet Mourid Barghouti dedicated to his wife, Egyptian writer Radwa Ashour, thus sealing a deep bond between art, love, and resistance.