Warrior-writers in the center of Kyiv will meet for a three-day mini-residence and will hold creative meetings with young people. In a special focus – parallels of Ukrainian military literature of this and past wars. On November 11-13, the Seventh International Forum of Central and Eastern Europe Via Carpatia 2024 will be held for the first time in Kyiv. Within its framework, dozens of Ukrainian military writers will gather for a three-day event Literary and artistic meeting “Context: War”.
Among the soldiers who, despite their main work at the front, find time and inspiration for literary creativity – Olena Mokrenchuk, Serhiy Pantyuk, Volodymyr Skorostetskyi, Vitaly Zapeka, Bohdan Nazarenko, Roman Dronyuk, Andriy Humenyuk, Rustam Dmytruk, Olena Lototska, Serhii Dzyuba, Oleksandr Prodan, Myroslav Otkovich, Volodymyr Korotya, Valery Palchyk, Oleg Borodai, Andriy Karpenko, Leonid Matyukhin, Ruslan Leskiv... All of them will be united by the literary and artistic meeting “Context: War”, which this year will take place in the format of a mini-residence with public literary readings and a special children’s program.
In addition, traditionally for Via Carpatia, the forum will end with an award ceremony the Stanisław Vincenz Prize “For Humanistic Service and a Contribution to Regional Development”.
“This is the most special author community of the modern literary environment – combatants and veterans, – says the curator of the “Context: War” meeting Tatiana Pylypets, director of the Lviv Library named after Roman Ivanichuk, co-founder of the Forum of Military Writers. — They practically do not have time for reflection, so the opportunity to create common meanings at the residence in Kyiv is invaluable, and not only for the community, but also for society in general. War adds voices of pain and hope to literature, creating a chronicle of change and new meaning that we cannot afford to lose. Warriors who create literature in the trenches are a force apart in these dark times. When darkness creeps into you, grab their word like the hand of a trusted friend. The sincerity of this writing will dispel the densest darkness and lead to the path of light. There is no greater opportunity for the rear to “feel” the front than to hear its voices. To become their reinforcement and relay.”
“Creativity is just one of the mechanisms of social rehabilitation during the war, — says from his own experience a military writer, an officer of the social support department of the Main Directorate of the National Guard of Ukraine Bohdan Nazarenko. — It is a bridge between the past and the future. Between the terrible real present and a peaceful life. We want to be heard. And while we live, while the heart of each of us beats, we will create and fight for our state.”
“These artists combine creativity and military service, which makes their experience unique. At the core of the theme of the residency is living and understanding the military reality of previous generations of Ukrainian literature and comparing it with modern, – says Yaryna Yasinevych, director of Via Carpatia Forum. – This is how we strive to return the experience of our predecessors to the current mental map, to perceive it in a new way. We see in this a powerful decolonization potential and the possibilities of autotherapy.”
The literary and artistic meeting “Context: War” was supported by the Ukrainian Book Institute. The Via Carpatia 2024 forum takes place with the financial support of the International Renaissance Foundation. At the same time, the content of the Forum events is not the official position of the IMF.
Please participate in the Via Carpatia Forum to register. The locations and the program will be notified by letter to accredited participants and media representatives.
For media – registration link.
Supported by:
International Foundation “Renaissance”
Ukrainian Institute of Books
TVP World
Espreso
Information partners:
General TV partners are “Espreso” channel, TVP World
General radio partner – FM Halychyna
Media partners – Society, Radio Culture, Sestry.eu, High Castle
Organizers and partners:
All-Ukrainian Democratic Forum
NGO “Verkhovyna – the flower of the Carpathians”
Ivano-Frankivsk National Drama Theater
The National Memorial Complex of the Heroes of the Heavenly Hundred — Museum of the Revolution of Dignity
Embassy of the Republic of Poland in Kyiv
Kyiv National University named after Taras Shevchenko
National Music Academy of Ukraine named after P. I. Tchaikovsky
Lviv Ivan Franko National Literary and Memorial Museum (Franko House)
Lviv Regional Library for Youth named after Roman Ivanychuk
National Library of Ukraine for Children
NGO “Development Alliance”
Agency for sustainability of culture
