AHMAD DANNY RAMADAN - The Vancouver novelist, columnist and gay refugee activist gave a talk on February 6, 2018 at Vancouver Island University in Nanaimo. This event was a highlight of VIU's Global Citizens Week and was organized in collaboration with VIU Positive Space Alliance.

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Danny Ramada spoke passionately about his experience as a sexual-minority refugee from Syria who came to Canada a few years ago. He has become well known for his work supporting sexual and gender minority refugees and newcomers. In 2016 he was chosen as a grand marshal of the Vancouver Pride parade, and his writing has won international acclaim. 

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As well as talking about his personal story and the work he does, Danny focused on the many challenges facing queer and trans refugees who come to Canada. 

Danny recently published his first novel, The Clothesline Swing, which the Globe and Mail called "sombre, fantastical, violent and tender," adding that Ramadan's "English-language debut is a gay son’s conflicted love letter to Syria." The Clothesline Swing was longlisted in the 2018 Canada Reads competition. In March 2018 the novel was nominated for a Lambda Literary award in the gay fiction category.

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