Organize a book launch
Bring the call for peace in the Middle East to life in your community!
Organize a catchy book presentation around Fireland, the new work of 11.11.11-expert Willem Staes, or opt for his moving previous book No man's land. Introduce your audience to stories that touch, insights that deepen and a region that deserves our attention.
Fireland
After the impressive 'No man's land' comes Middle East expert Willem Staes van 11.11.11 with a new, controversial book: 'Tierra del Fuego. Along the Frontlines of the Middle East'.
Since the October 7 terrorist attacks, the Middle East has once again become a focus of attention. War crimes, human rights violations and genocide are being documented in Palestine, while Israel is also striking Lebanon and Syria. In the midst of geopolitical violence, the fate of ordinary people is being snowed under.
In Fireland Willem travels through Palestine, Israel, Lebanon and Syria. He brings moving testimonies of citizens Those facing war, occupation, and oppression. From survivors in Gaza to refugees in Jenin, from Israeli victims to Syrians in the border regions – Staes gives them a voice.
His account shows how October 7th is not a beginning, but yet another violent episode in a decades-long story of impunity, occupation, and oppression. Fireland will be published at the end of September 2025 and is a powerful call to action. empathy, historical context and lasting solidarity.
Do you want to make a difference and amplify the call for peace?
Organize a book event with Willem Staes and together with activists from the region – who live in Belgium today – provide a powerful platform for dialogue and solidarity. Together we build a place of encounter and engagement.
Find out how to easily organize a book presentation at the bottom of this page.
No man's land
In No Man's Land, Middle East expert Willem Staes travels straight through Syrie, Lebanon, Turkey, Jordan en IraqDuring nine trips between August 2021 and March 2023, he witnessed first-hand how Syrian refugees found themselves in the most hopeless situation since the Syrian revolution in 2011.
They are caught in an invisible 'no man's land', between a rock and a hard place: a country they cannot return to, neighbouring countries that no longer want to take them in, and European countries that increasingly violently deny them access.
An uncomfortable truth is emerging: the European 'model' of reception in the region is creaking and chafing at the seams. It is increasingly a pipe dream, a mirage that some hope to see, but which does not exist in reality. The total lack of solutions for Syrian refugees has meanwhile sowed the seeds of a new refugee crisis, with large numbers of Syrians trying to reach Europe again.
How do you proceed?
- Please contact Willem using the form below to discuss the content of the book presentation.
- In the book, Willem mainly lets people from the region speak. This is also the preferred approach of the event during the book presentation: a panel discussion in which Willem talks to a number of activists from the region who currently live in Belgium. Willem can introduce various contacts himself, and you can search together for local organizations that are interesting to involve.
Please indicate in the form if you are interested in this. - Find a venue and promote your activity among friends, acquaintances, colleagues and in your community.