Culture in exile 17.05.2023
Take a look at the event programme!
CULTURE IN EXILE.
Solidarity Days at Villa Decius
Villa Decius, June 3-4, 2023
PROGRAM
The events will be held in Polish (PL) and Belarusian (BY).
SATURDAY, JUNE 3rd, Villa Decius
12.00 - 20.00 POLISH-BELARUSIAN BOOK FAIR
The book fair will feature independent Belarusian and Polish publishers. Books by Belarusian authors will be available to buy, both in the original and in Polish translations.
13:00 THE LITTLE PRINCE. Performance for children performed by the Belarusian theatre “Neighbours' Children”. (BY)
Adaptation: Irina Zimneva
The “Neighbours' Children” Theatre is an amateur theatre group based in Krakow, which was founded in the summer of 2021. The group consists of actors from Belarus and Ukraine who emigrated to Poland in the years 2020-2022. The theatre performs in Belarusian and creates performances for children aged 6 to 15.
15.00 TOUR OF VILLA DECIUS WITH A GUIDE
16:00 ENGAGEMENT WITH THE SEA. Vernissage of the exhibition of photographs by the Belarusian artist Maria Elena Bonet, combined with a musical performance by Wiktor Siamaszko. (PL, BY)
A link to the event:
https://willadecjusza.pl/en/news/betrothal-to-the-sea
17:00 SAM. Meeting with Vladimir Nekliaev on occasion of the Polish translation of the collection of his poems. (PL, BY)
“АДЗІН/SAM” is a new selection of poems by Vladimir Nekliaev, one of the most outstanding contemporary Belarusian writers, winner of many national and international awards, mentioned among the candidates for the Nobel Prize in Literature. The book is published in a bilingual edition by the College of Eastern Europe as part of the Publishing Series of the Villa Decius Institute for Culture. The authors of the translations are Adam Pomorski, Bohdan Zadura, Czesław Seniuch and Jarosław Anders.
18:30 BELARUSSIAN LITERATURE IN TIMES OF THE CRISIS. Discussion with Hanna Jankuta. Hosted by Kasia Ioffe. (PL, BY).
Translator: Joanna Bernatowicz
Hanna Jankuta is a Belarusian writer, translator from Polish and English, researcher of Belarusian and English literature. Member of the Belarusian PEN Club. Author of many books for children, two volumes of poetry for adults, and essays and articles on literature and feminism. She translated from Polish Katarzyna Ryrych, Tadeusz Dołęga-Mostowicz, Bolesław Leśmian, Czesław Miłosz, Wisława Szymborska, Adam Mickiewicz, Jan Czeczot, Maria Pawlikowska-Jasnorzewska. Scholarship holder of “Gaude Polonia” (2012). Currently, she resides in Krakow as part of the Janina Katz Residence for writers and translators.
SUNDAY, JUNE 4, Villa Decius
12:00 - 20.00 POLISH-BELARUSIAN BOOK FAIR
The book fair will feature independent Belarusian and Polish publishers. Books by Belarusian authors will be available to buy, both in the original and in Polish translations.
12:00 CULTURE IN EXILE. Opening of the event (PL, BY)
12:15 FREE LITERATURE. Debate with representatives of the Polish and Belarusian PEN Club: Tatyana Nyadbai, president of the independent Belarusian PEN Club and Marek Radziwon, president of the Polish PEN Club. (PL). Modaration: Andrei Khadanovich
13.15 - 14.00 BREAK
14:00 A PERSPECTIVE OF FREE BELARUS. Speech by Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, the leader of democratic Belarus. (PL, BY)
14:30 - 15.30 CULTURE IN EXILE—A COMMON EXPERIENCE
Debate with the participation of Alina Koushyk, representative of the United Transitional Cabinet for National Revival, Artur Michalski, Ambassador of the Republic of Poland in Minsk.
Hosted by: Dominika Kasprowicz, Villa Decius
15:30 - 19.00 FREE LITERATURE. Author meetings
15.30 - 17.00 “WOMEN IN THE UPRISING OF KONSTANTY KALINOWSKI: MOTHERS, WIFE AND LOVERS”. Meeting with Vladimir Arlov. (BY)
Hosted by: Jarosław Iwaniuk
A meeting with the Belarusian writer and historian Vladimir Arlov, dedicated to the 160th anniversary of the outbreak of the January Uprising in Belarus and little-known facts about the participation of women—Ludwika Jamant, Apolonia Sierakowska, Kamila Marcinkiewicz and Eliza Orzeszkowa, among others—in the fight against the Russian colonisers.
As part of the meeting, there will be a presentation of new books by Vladimir Arlov published by the Kamunikat.org Foundation in Bialystok. The author will present the second part of the book “Homeland. From Ogiński to Bohuszewicz” (the first part of the book was considered “extremist” by the Lukashenko regime) and the famous book “Names of Freedom” with 410 portraits of fighters for the freedom of Belarusian lands from the times of Tadeusz Kościuszko to the present day.
17.00 - 17.30 BREAK
17:30 - 18.30 ALEŚ. Meeting with Tatyana Nyadbai around the book dedicated to Ales Bialiatski, Nobel Peace Prize winner, Belarusian opposition activist, founder and leader of the The Human Rights Center “Viasna”. (PL)
“Aleś” is a recently published book about the leader of the The Human Rights Center “Viasna”, Ales Bialiatski, winner of the Nobel Peace Prize in 2022, sentenced in 2023 in Belarus to 10 years in prison in a penal colony. The book presents the birth of Belarusian civic activism and the figure of Ales Bialiatski, one of its most prominent representatives. It shows Belarus that is still fighting for the truth, human rights, its own culture and independence. It draws on Bialiatski’s many memories from his books, articles, conference and court speeches, letters and interviews, as well as statements from his friends and associates.
18.30 - 19.30 CULTURE AND RESPONSIBILITIES. Presentation of Tatyana Astrovska’s book published by the The Human Rights Center “Viasna”, together with the solidarity action with prisoners of conscience in Belarus. (PL, BY). Hosted by Kasia Ioffe.
20.00 CONCERT OF THE BELARUSSIAN ETHNO-BAND
The founder of the ETNO-BAND—Nasta Chmiel—is a vocalist, multi-instrumentalist, composer as well as singing and instrumental teacher. For many years, she has been conducting ethnic singing workshops, djembe games and music therapy workshops. She plays and sings in the band KRIWI. She has a musical education as a choir conductor, for years she has been working with amateur singing groups for youth and adults. Nasta moved from Belarus to Krakow over a year ago due to political repression, as she actively participated in the 2020 protests in Belarus. In October 2022, in cooperation with the Autonomia foundation, she created an amateur ethnic singing group in Krakow. It consists mainly of migrants from Belarus and Ukraine.
During its performance at the Protective Tree planted a year ago at Villa Decius, the Choir will present, among others: the traditional Belarusian rite “kumlenie”, celebrated on June 4, when on the Orthodox Trinity Day, women-friends made wreaths and sang through the gate of twisted birch twigs to secure their friendship—to still be the “kumaczki” of each other—throughout the next year.
Solidarity Days at Villa Decius
Villa Decius, June 3-4, 2023
PROGRAM
The events will be held in Polish (PL) and Belarusian (BY).
SATURDAY, JUNE 3rd, Villa Decius
12.00 - 20.00 POLISH-BELARUSIAN BOOK FAIR
The book fair will feature independent Belarusian and Polish publishers. Books by Belarusian authors will be available to buy, both in the original and in Polish translations.
13:00 THE LITTLE PRINCE. Performance for children performed by the Belarusian theatre “Neighbours' Children”. (BY)
Adaptation: Irina Zimneva
The “Neighbours' Children” Theatre is an amateur theatre group based in Krakow, which was founded in the summer of 2021. The group consists of actors from Belarus and Ukraine who emigrated to Poland in the years 2020-2022. The theatre performs in Belarusian and creates performances for children aged 6 to 15.
15.00 TOUR OF VILLA DECIUS WITH A GUIDE
16:00 ENGAGEMENT WITH THE SEA. Vernissage of the exhibition of photographs by the Belarusian artist Maria Elena Bonet, combined with a musical performance by Wiktor Siamaszko. (PL, BY)
A link to the event:
https://willadecjusza.pl/en/news/betrothal-to-the-sea
17:00 SAM. Meeting with Vladimir Nekliaev on occasion of the Polish translation of the collection of his poems. (PL, BY)
“АДЗІН/SAM” is a new selection of poems by Vladimir Nekliaev, one of the most outstanding contemporary Belarusian writers, winner of many national and international awards, mentioned among the candidates for the Nobel Prize in Literature. The book is published in a bilingual edition by the College of Eastern Europe as part of the Publishing Series of the Villa Decius Institute for Culture. The authors of the translations are Adam Pomorski, Bohdan Zadura, Czesław Seniuch and Jarosław Anders.
18:30 BELARUSSIAN LITERATURE IN TIMES OF THE CRISIS. Discussion with Hanna Jankuta. Hosted by Kasia Ioffe. (PL, BY).
Translator: Joanna Bernatowicz
Hanna Jankuta is a Belarusian writer, translator from Polish and English, researcher of Belarusian and English literature. Member of the Belarusian PEN Club. Author of many books for children, two volumes of poetry for adults, and essays and articles on literature and feminism. She translated from Polish Katarzyna Ryrych, Tadeusz Dołęga-Mostowicz, Bolesław Leśmian, Czesław Miłosz, Wisława Szymborska, Adam Mickiewicz, Jan Czeczot, Maria Pawlikowska-Jasnorzewska. Scholarship holder of “Gaude Polonia” (2012). Currently, she resides in Krakow as part of the Janina Katz Residence for writers and translators.
SUNDAY, JUNE 4, Villa Decius
12:00 - 20.00 POLISH-BELARUSIAN BOOK FAIR
The book fair will feature independent Belarusian and Polish publishers. Books by Belarusian authors will be available to buy, both in the original and in Polish translations.
12:00 CULTURE IN EXILE. Opening of the event (PL, BY)
12:15 FREE LITERATURE. Debate with representatives of the Polish and Belarusian PEN Club: Tatyana Nyadbai, president of the independent Belarusian PEN Club and Marek Radziwon, president of the Polish PEN Club. (PL). Modaration: Andrei Khadanovich
13.15 - 14.00 BREAK
14:00 A PERSPECTIVE OF FREE BELARUS. Speech by Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, the leader of democratic Belarus. (PL, BY)
14:30 - 15.30 CULTURE IN EXILE—A COMMON EXPERIENCE
Debate with the participation of Alina Koushyk, representative of the United Transitional Cabinet for National Revival, Artur Michalski, Ambassador of the Republic of Poland in Minsk.
Hosted by: Dominika Kasprowicz, Villa Decius
15:30 - 19.00 FREE LITERATURE. Author meetings
15.30 - 17.00 “WOMEN IN THE UPRISING OF KONSTANTY KALINOWSKI: MOTHERS, WIFE AND LOVERS”. Meeting with Vladimir Arlov. (BY)
Hosted by: Jarosław Iwaniuk
A meeting with the Belarusian writer and historian Vladimir Arlov, dedicated to the 160th anniversary of the outbreak of the January Uprising in Belarus and little-known facts about the participation of women—Ludwika Jamant, Apolonia Sierakowska, Kamila Marcinkiewicz and Eliza Orzeszkowa, among others—in the fight against the Russian colonisers.
As part of the meeting, there will be a presentation of new books by Vladimir Arlov published by the Kamunikat.org Foundation in Bialystok. The author will present the second part of the book “Homeland. From Ogiński to Bohuszewicz” (the first part of the book was considered “extremist” by the Lukashenko regime) and the famous book “Names of Freedom” with 410 portraits of fighters for the freedom of Belarusian lands from the times of Tadeusz Kościuszko to the present day.
17.00 - 17.30 BREAK
17:30 - 18.30 ALEŚ. Meeting with Tatyana Nyadbai around the book dedicated to Ales Bialiatski, Nobel Peace Prize winner, Belarusian opposition activist, founder and leader of the The Human Rights Center “Viasna”. (PL)
“Aleś” is a recently published book about the leader of the The Human Rights Center “Viasna”, Ales Bialiatski, winner of the Nobel Peace Prize in 2022, sentenced in 2023 in Belarus to 10 years in prison in a penal colony. The book presents the birth of Belarusian civic activism and the figure of Ales Bialiatski, one of its most prominent representatives. It shows Belarus that is still fighting for the truth, human rights, its own culture and independence. It draws on Bialiatski’s many memories from his books, articles, conference and court speeches, letters and interviews, as well as statements from his friends and associates.
18.30 - 19.30 CULTURE AND RESPONSIBILITIES. Presentation of Tatyana Astrovska’s book published by the The Human Rights Center “Viasna”, together with the solidarity action with prisoners of conscience in Belarus. (PL, BY). Hosted by Kasia Ioffe.
20.00 CONCERT OF THE BELARUSSIAN ETHNO-BAND
The founder of the ETNO-BAND—Nasta Chmiel—is a vocalist, multi-instrumentalist, composer as well as singing and instrumental teacher. For many years, she has been conducting ethnic singing workshops, djembe games and music therapy workshops. She plays and sings in the band KRIWI. She has a musical education as a choir conductor, for years she has been working with amateur singing groups for youth and adults. Nasta moved from Belarus to Krakow over a year ago due to political repression, as she actively participated in the 2020 protests in Belarus. In October 2022, in cooperation with the Autonomia foundation, she created an amateur ethnic singing group in Krakow. It consists mainly of migrants from Belarus and Ukraine.
During its performance at the Protective Tree planted a year ago at Villa Decius, the Choir will present, among others: the traditional Belarusian rite “kumlenie”, celebrated on June 4, when on the Orthodox Trinity Day, women-friends made wreaths and sang through the gate of twisted birch twigs to secure their friendship—to still be the “kumaczki” of each other—throughout the next year.
