News
Two weeks ago Vilnius hosted the 23rd International Book Fair, the largest event of its kind in the Baltics, with more than 200 exhibitors from home and abroad. As usual, the fair did not lack a Polish touch, and this year's Guest of Honour was Ukraine.
During the four days, the fair hosted some 500 events and book presentations by several authors, including those from Poland. The Polish Institute in Vilnius, together with Lithuanian publishing houses, prepared a series of literary meetings during which Lithuanian editions of books by Polish authors were presented.
On the occasion of the centennial of Nobel Prize winner Wislawa Szymborska, the premiere of the Lithuanian-Polish poetry volume 33 eileraščiai/33 wiersze ("33 eileraščiai/33 poems") was held with the participation of the Wisława Szymborska Foundation President Michał Rusinek and poet Tomas Venclova. Another event was the presentation of Czesław Miłosz's book Zaczynając od moich ulic (“Beginning with My Streets”), which was published by the Lithuanian Writers' Union Publishing House and translated by Kazys Uscila, as well as an online meeting with Olga Tokarczuk and the presentation of the Lithuanian edition of Księgi Jakubowe (“The Books of Jacob”, translated by Vyturys Jarutis, Lithuanian Writers' Union Publishing House).
At the meetings attended by the authors, books by representatives of the younger generation were also presented, such as Damy Władysława Jagiełły ("The Ladies of Wladyslaw Jagiello") by Kamil Janicki and Pod słońcem ("Under the Sun") by Julia Fiedorczuk. Both titles were translated by Kazys Uscila, one of the most prominent promoters of Polish literature in Lithuania, particularly recognized for his award-winning translations of Wiesław Mysliwski's works.