The Ukrainian Literature Festival was held at the European House on October 8 and 9, placing a special spotlight on the professional recognition of women in all areas of the literary world. The event emphasized gender equality by showcasing works written by prominent Ukrainian female authors.
Among the featured books were “Madonna at the Crossroads” (Madona perehrest), a poetry collection by one of Ukraine’s most celebrated poets, Lina Kostenko, and “Sister, Sister” (Sestro, sestro), a collection of short stories by renowned author Oksana Zabuzhko.
The opening night welcomed Oksana Zabuzhko,who engaged with the audience by delving into the development of her characters and how their stories intersect with historical events that have shaped Ukrainian identity. She reflected on themes of national trauma and its influence on individual growth.
On the second and final day of the festival, attendees had the opportunity to explore the poetic mind of Lina Kostenko, a key figure in Ukrainian literature from the late 20th and early 21st centuries. Her poetry collection “Madonna at the Crossroads” was presented as a testament to her lifelong contemplation of the role of art and creativity—particularly during times of significant historical upheaval. Line Kostenko.
Festival of Ukrainian literature is part of the project „Pride against prejudice: Literature as a Means of Women’s Empowerment“, ad it is funded by the programme Creative Europe.The project is led and published by Kontrast Publishing.
Its central goal is to provide high-quality translation, publication, promotion, and distribution of acclaimed and award-winning literary works by women, including “Fugitive parce que reine” by French author Violaine Huisman, “Lessico famigliare” by Italian writer and activist Natalia Ginzburg, “Rede” by German poet Kerstin Preiwuß, “Paisums” by Latvian author Inga Ābele, “Paw Królowej” by Polish novelist Dorota Masłowska, “Kärlekens Antarktis” by Swedish writer Sara Stridsberg, and “Mine menn” by Norwegian feminist author Victoria Kielland.
The books released under this initiative are published as bilingual editions. Two full sets will be donated to organizations supporting Ukrainian refugees in Serbia, in collaboration with the Ukrainian Embassy.