FODI 2026 Opening Night: Salman Rushdie

THE PRICE OF IDEAS

The 2026 John Caldon Provocation
Fri 21 August 2026, 6:30pm
Sydney Town Hall

One of Time’s 100 most influential people in the world, Salman Rushdie has never backed down from defending free expression. In 2026, twelve years after his first appearance at the Festival of Dangerous Ideas, where he spoke about the freedom to write, he returns to Australia for the first time, 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.

Limited early release tickets for this session only are available to buy now, don’t miss out!

“The last time I came to Sydney, I spoke about the freedom to write. This time, I return to speak about the price we pay for ideas — because in today’s world, expressing them is no longer just an act of freedom, but often an act of courage.”

— Salman Rushdie

Salman Rushdie presents the 2026 John Caldon Provocation at the Festival of Dangerous Ideas. He is presented in Australia with The Wheeler Centre.

Salman Rushdie is the best-selling author of twenty-two books, including Midnight’s Children, which won both the Booker Prize and the Best of the Booker; Shame, The Satanic Verses, The Moor’s Last Sigh, and Quichotte, all of which were shortlisted for the Booker Prize; East West a collection of stories; Joseph Anton a memoir; The Jaguar Smile a work of reportage; and three collections of essays, including Languages of Truth. His most recent book, Knife: Meditations After an Attempted Murder, was a finalist for the 2024 National Book Award for nonfiction. Rushdie is a member of the American Academy of Arts and Letters and a fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, and he is a Distinguished Writer in Residence at New York University. He is a former president of PEN America and the recipient of the PEN Centenary Courage Award. His books have been translated into over forty languages. In 2023, he was named one of Time’s 100 Most Influential People of the Year and has received a Queen's knighthood for his 'services to literature'.

About the John Caldon Provocation

Presented to honour the legacy of businessman John Caldon OAM (1947-2021). Investment banker and entrepreneur, Caldon was one of Macquarie Bank's early stars from 1984-1998, who ignited debate, discussion and reflection amongst all. His personality, ambition, and creative approach to financial innovation made him see potential in people and in deals. For many, his mentoring, nurturing, and inspiration set him apart. A person of insatiable curiosity, he was a master of diverse fields, including ancient history, politics, poetry, art and philosophy. He applied this same mastery to the establishment of a hugely successful TV company with life partner, Lyndey Milan. Sir Salman Rushdie follows the inaugural John Caldon Provocation presented by David Baddiel in 2024.

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