One of Time’s 100 most influential people in the world, Salman Rushdie has never backed down from defending free expression. Twelve years after his first appearance at Festival of Dangerous Ideas, where he spoke about the freedom to write, he returns to Australia for the first time in 2026, to explore the price of ideas.
From The Satanic Verses controversy to ongoing threats, Salman Rushdie explores the violent reactions that ideas can provoke and reflects on the profound personal cost of standing up for free expression. At a time when almost any idea can be dangerous, he examines how culture, religion, and identity collide to disrupt societies and ignite fierce debates over censorship and freedom.
Author of 22 books, with a new release due this November, Rushdie now enters a powerful new chapter in his life and writing.
Join us in the heart of Sydney on 21 August for the Opening Night of FODI 2026 at the iconic Sydney Town Hall. The Festival continues across the weekend, 22–23 August 2026, at Carriageworks, Eveleigh.
Tickets are selling fast. Final release tickets on sale now.
17 Aug
2026
Melbourne, VIC
An Evening With Sir Salman Rushdie
Bookings Essential
