Rushdie Attends Discussion About Late Italian Jewish Writer Levi

British author of Indian descent Salman Rushdie has begun his visit to Prague, where he is taking part in a literature festival, by attending a discussion in Prague's Italian Cultural Center about Primo Levi, who has written philosophical essays with reminders of Auschwitz. Several years ago Iran's Islamic spiritual leaders issued a fatwa, or death threat, against Rusdhie for his award-winning fiction novel The Satanic Verses. The fatwa has been repeatedly condemned by human rights groups and free speech activists around the world. Although Iran recently said it would no longer try to have Rushdie killed, some fundamentalist groups in Iran have continued to threaten the author. Rushdie, who arrived in Prague late this morning at the invitation of the organizers of the Prague Writers' Festival and is under Czech police protection, also met officials from the Italian Embassy. Rushdie's forums have been planned for this evening and Tuesday at the Ypsilon theater. In a short speech today before the forum on Levi, Rushdie pointed out that humanism, to which this year's festival is devoted, was born out of the Italian Rennaissance. Rushdie stressed that modern-day values were derived from principles defined by Rennaissance philosophers, humanists and writers. Referring to the Holocaust, he noted that Levi was among witnesses to the worst kinds of attacks on the ideals of humanism. Festival vice president Vlasta Brtnikova told CTK that Rushdie very much looked forward to walking through the streets of the historic city of Prague. She pointed out that he was a lover of Prague.She pointed out that he was a lover of Prague. Brtnikova also did not rule out that Rushdie might have a private meeting with fellow writer and Czech President Vaclav Havel. The two met already in 1993 when Rushdie came to Prague at Havel's invitation, from which for some reason then Czech premier Vaclav Klaus decided to distance himself. Many criticized Klaus afterwards. On Tuesday, besides making a special appearance at dinner party in his honor, Rushdie is scheduled also to attend debates with American writer Gore Vidal.