Ooni Koda
  1. Home
  2. /
  3. Newsfeed
  4. /
  5. Bucharest hosting International Odessa Literature Festival Thursday to...

Bucharest hosting International Odessa Literature Festival Thursday to Sunday

March 20, 2024

The 9th edition of the International Odessa Literature Festival, which has become itinerant due to the war in Ukraine, will take place from Thursday to Sunday in Bucharest, with more than 20 events - poetry recitals, debates, film screenings and musical moments."Hosted at the Goethe-Institut Bucharest, this year's edition of the International Odessa Literature Festival opens on Thursday at 17,00 with a message from the two founders of the project, cultural managers Ulrich Schreiber (Germany) and Hans Ruprecht (Switzerland), followed by a message from Laura Napolitano, director of the Italian Institute of Culture in Bucharest and president of EUNIC Romania, the institution under the umbrella of which the project takes place," the organisers said, according to a press release sent on Wednesday.Ukrainian Ambassador in Bucharest Igor Prokopchuk joined the organisers and will greet the audience at the opening event.In anticipation of their arrival in Bucharest, some of the writers invited to this year's edition of the festival sent their thoughts to the Romanian literature lovers."I believe that every international writers' meeting is a good opportunity to exchange ideas about literature and politics. I hope we can actively listen to each other. If we believe that literature is a universal tool of understanding, we can use it for discussion, not for fighting," said Ukrainian writer Vasyl Mahno - poet, essayist and translator, who investigates in his books the concepts of homeland and memory, reflecting the polyphonic past of his place of origin.According to Mahno, "if war comes upon them in their homeland, writers must become its defenders when their country is brutally attacked." "This is why many Ukrainian writers write literature and essays about war and participate in international festivals. Many of them serve in the army and fight on the fronts. In this period, literature becomes a mouthpiece of these times, because it has to be heard," he added."Literature in times of war is both an escape from the terrible reality and a weapon, because it is impossible not to write about war," said ahead of his visit to Bucharest writer Yuriy Vynnychuk, a living legend of Ukrainian literature, tireless critic of the political system, regarded as the most versatile of contemporary Ukrainian writers.According to the organisers, Swiss writer Ariane von Graffenried, spoken word author, member of the "Fitzgerald & Rimini" duo and curator of the Basel International Poetry Festival, speaks about the power of literature to give voice to literature in her message sent in advance to Romanian readers: "Metaphors do not help against people with guns. And beautiful verses cannot heal wounds. Literature, however, can create a community here and now, it can offer comfort, it can express anger and it can be a witness to both the beautiful and the hateful. Literature can give the dead a voice and make them sing."For Italian writer Ilaria Gaspari, known for her passion for podcasts dedicated to the works of famous writers, this year's travelling edition of the Odessa International Festival is an opportunity to remember the horrors of the two world wars."Literature is not a weapon, because literature does not destroy; and it is indeed unarmed and vulnerable to war, but with the collective force of a mouthpiece that spreads words and thoughts. It is not a form of escape, but an open refuge, that is, open to protect against horror," said the esteemed Italian writer.

Read in full - click here
IKEA announces opening of Planning and Order Studio in Romania’s Cluj-Napoca

IKEA, the world’s largest furniture retailer, announced the opening of the first Planning and Order Studio in Cluj County on Thursday, October 23. Located inside the Kaufland Cluj-Gheorgheni shopping gallery in Cluj-Napoca, the location spans over 200 sqm and includes a planning area and a space displaying more than 1,100 IKEA items.  The new studio […]

EU must arm itself to deter Russia from “thinking about an attack,” Romanian president says

Romanian president Nicușor Dan said that EU countries must equip themselves to deter Russia “from thinking about an attack on Europe,” according to Agerpres.  The danger is not new, Dan argued. The EU has been facing a hybrid war for at least a decade. The Romanian president made the statement...

Weekend calendar: Les Films de Cannes, West Side Hallo Fest, Feline World Show in Bucharest, Iași International Literature Festival and more

One of fall’s most awaited film festivals kicks off in Bucharest, where the season of Halloween events has already started, alongside many concerts and exhibitions.

Johann Strauss Ensemble and Russell McGregor return to Romania with “Best of Vienna” tour in December

Johann Strauss Ensemble, one of Austria’s most acclaimed classical orchestras, will embark on a new tour in Romania in December, with the celebrated concert “Best of Vienna.” Conducted by violinist and maestro Russell McGregor, the ensemble will bring the charm of Vienna’s festive season to Romanian audiences for the 21st consecutive year. The tour will […]

Half of Romanian parents talk to their children about social media use every day, study says

A national study conducted by World Vision Romania in partnership with TikTok shows that although 51% of parents in Romania talk daily with their children about the use of social networks, almost 70% of them do not trust their own abilities to support them in navigating online.  According to the study, which is meant to […]

Romanian film review – Astra & Culmea festivals, The Spruce Forest

Autumn is a great season for festivals, so let’s have a look at those happening: one of the greats and a fresh one. With a feature bonus, a theatrical release that fits in this cinematic take on social, historical, and political themes – past, present, and future. Sibiu’s Astra Film Festival has been consistently great […]