The international literature festival berlin [ilb], in cooperation with the Frankfurt Book Fair, PEN Berlin, and the German PEN Centre, calls on cinemas, schools, universities, media, cultural institutions and individuals to participate in a worldwide reading of Ukrainian literature on September 7, 2022.

To mark the war in Ukraine and its devastating effects, we would like to shine a light on Ukrainian literature through the Worldwide Reading, to highlight its content and stylistic facets, and to give Ukrainian authors an international forum. Even in times of suffering, literature can function as a medium of criticism and must find words and linguistic forms for the unspeakable. At the same time, the readings will focus not only on current works, but also on historical ones.

Readings can be made from specially selected texts as well as from the proposals of the ilb. So far we are thinking of these authors: Yurii Andrukhovych, Serhiy Zhadan, Boris Khersonsky, Ilya Kaminsky, Oksana Zabuzhko, Andrey Kurkov, Taras Prokhasko, Andriy Lyubka, Natalia Belchenko, Kateryna Kalytko, Lyuba Yakimchuk, Marianna Kiyanovska, Iya Kiva, Halyna Kruk, Irina Shuvalova, Ostap Slyvynsky, Ivan Kotliarevsky, and Taras Shevchenko.

Institutions and individuals who would like to participate with a specially organized reading are asked to send us the following information by September 2, 2022: Names of organizers, venue, time, participating actors, event language and a link to your website. If applicable, the email address is: worldwidereading@literaturfestival.com. The ilb will announce the events on the website, press and social media. The organizers must acquire the rights to the texts themselves from the publishers or authors – we are happy to provide support in this matter.