GERMANY— Filipino novelist Miguel Syjuco, winner of both the Man Asian Literary Prize and Palanca Award in 2008 for his novel “Ilustrado,” was featured at the 11th International Literature Festival Berlin held from September 7 to 17, the Philippine Embassy to Germany said.

Syjuco is the third Filipino writer to be invited to this prestigious literature festival.

The literature festival, started in 2005, is being held every two years in Berlin.

Syjuco discussed his novel “Ilustrado” before a packed crowd of literature enthusiasts from Germany and other nationals from all over the world.

A local German actress also gave a spirited reading of excerpts from his book.

Syjuco’s name became a by-word in the literary world after his then unpublished novel “Ilustrado” won several local and international top prizes in 2008. It went on to be published in more than a dozen languages, including German.

“Ilustrado” is a story about a migrant Filipino’s search for his mentor’s killer. Syjuco is now based in Montreal, Canada.

The international literature festival presents a variety of contemporary prose and poetry from around the world, with a special focus this year on the Asia-Pacific region.

Ambassador Maria Cleofe Natividad has made it a priority for the cultural diplomacy program of the Embassy to increase the participation of Filipino writers in this prestigious international literature event.