Traditional for Ukrainians BookForum is held in a different format – online, without a book fair and only a hundred offline visitors. But you can’t help but be happy about what’s going on. Already the twenty-ninth time.
The country is engulfed in war, every day there are air raid alarms in the cities, followed by explosions, Ukrainians look at the news with fear. Millions of citizens are traumatized by the war. Therefore, it is worth talking about this war. In different dimensions, in different voices, but keep talking.
BookForum 2022 aims to raise the issue of punishing Russian propagandists on an equal footing with war criminals at the international level. After all, creating propaganda looks like a crime and requires punishment.
According to the program director of the Lviv International BookForum and the curator of the festival Sofia Chelyak, the cultural front is the antipode of propaganda, which became the culprit of the war on the same level as its customers. That is why the voice of culture must be voiced and heard.
Curator of the festival Sofia Chelyak
“The role of public intellectuals has always been to not only interpret reality, but also to influence certain political decisions. It is the cultural establishment that initiates the debates that ultimately affect key world events. Our program is designed to highlight uncomfortable questions that may not have a clear answer. Therefore, it is important for us to start a discussion that will become a weapon in the victory over Evil, which is happening now“
Five events that are definitely worth attending
The full program can be viewed at link
October 7, Friday
12:00 – 1:30 p.m., online
Love and loss
Since 2014, Russia has been systematically killing Ukrainian men, women, and children. Columns of civilian vehicles were shot and mass burials.
A discussion about love and loss of loved ones. Which, unfortunately, is relevant for many Ukrainians
Participants: Henry Marsh, Rachel Clarke, Yurko Prokhasko, Andriy Myzak, Iryna Tsybukh
«I have been in Ukraine for 30 years, working with neurosurgeon colleagues. I have always known that Ukraine is crucial to the future of Europe because it is the border between European freedom and kleptocratic Russian despotism. The partnership of the Lviv BookForum and the British Hay Festival is a great confirmation that Ukraine is truly a part of Europe, historically and culturally. In addition, the event will be a source of great encouragement and hope for our Ukrainian friends who are fighting for their lives, as well as for the freedom of the whole of Europesays,” Henry Marsh, a leading British neurosurgeon who will take part in the discussion panel “Love and Loss“.
October 7, Friday
19:00 – 20:00, online
Public conversation with Yuval Harari and Neil Gaiman
Participants : Sevgil Musaeva, Yuval Harari, Neil Gaiman
“It is an honor and a privilege to be a part of the 29th Lviv BookForum. Even in the dark days of the war, the festival continues a brave act of resistance and allows writers like me to stand in solidarity with the writers and readers of Ukraine” – urges Neil Gaiman, science fiction writer, author of the world-famous works “American Gods“ and “Stardust“.
October 8, Saturday
15:00 – 16:30, online
Propaganda
Participants: Bruno Masayesh, Philip Sands, Emma Winberg, Lyubov Tsybulska,
PomerantsevPeter, Andriy Shapovalov, Maksym Skubenko
What happens when, for example, Russian propagandists become an integral part of the military machine that commits war crimes, even more, genocide? In this discussion, we will consider the potential for legal liability of Russian state and other propagandists, as well as the deeper question of what words actually do.
October 8, Saturday
20:15 – 21:15, online
Public conversation with Margaret Atwood
The writer clearly articulates her position regarding Russia’s war against Ukraine:
“Putin’s war is an attack on democracy and freedom not only in Ukraine, but also in the whole world . By joining the program of Lviv BookForum and Hay Festival, I support Ukrainian writers and readers who share their creativity. Let this festival of ideas and talents encourage more people to loudly declare their position and share their gifts more“.
Participants: Margaret Atwood, Yurko Prokhasko
October 9, Sunday
Money and culture: how cultural institutions become Russian offshore
Participants: Misha Gleny, Oliver Bulot, Catherine Belton, Vadim Karpyak
Can cultural institutions work as offshore companies, and to what extent is Russian capital present in cultural institutions and events abroad?
Where to watch?
Thanks to the support of one of the world’s largest literary festivals, the Hay Festival (Great Britain), the event will be broadcast to the whole world. One hundred special guests will be able to attend the event in an offline format by personal invitation.
You can register and view events online here.
Curator of the festival Sofia Chelyak
Our 29th Lviv BookForum will tell the world our story. We want to highlight what is happening in Ukraine and why. And we explain it with the help of culture. We also want to show the Ukrainian public that artists all over the world are in solidarity with us, that Ukrainian authors and their voices are needed and appreciated more than ever. We couldn’t do it without the support of Hay Festival. Authors who will come to Lviv and join us online are people who understand that their actions are a manifestation of strength and struggle for Ukraine and, above all, for the democratic world. This festival is another proof that Ukraine will win – through its own efforts and the efforts of colleagues, partners, and friends from all over the world
