HALMA invited ten writers from what is now the EU as well as from EU neighbors to comment on this text and develop their own narrative of Europe today and their visions for the future.
In order to create a trans-generational dialogue the network will also organize workshops with students in 5 European cities. It is important that young Europeans are aware of Europe’s history but also develop their own vision of Europe’s future.
The essays by renowned writers as well as the ideas of participating students will be published online on the project website and will be accessible for free to internet users from all over Europe. It is important to HALMA that also writers from non EU member states participate in the project, e.g. Belarus and Ukraine, in order to create a view that transcends European's political borders because we believe that these people are also part of a European cultural community. To pair these writers with those from the places where readings take place will create a diverse dialogue and stimulate controversy about what Europe and European values can mean and how they have developed since Miłosz wrote about “home Europe”.
The project is supported by the European Cultural Foundation, the Swiss Arts Council Pro Helvetia, and the Polish Cultural Institutes in Leipzig, Prague and Vilnius and by the German Federal Foreign Office (Auswärtiges Amt).
Our official media partner is the literature magazine RADAR.
The first "Letters to Miłosz" have already been written and are on their way to their audience. The readings will start in mid-March and the following dates have just been scheduled:
- 16 March 2011 at 18:00 in Prague: Petra Hůlová and Alexander Lukashuk, moderated by Tomáš Glanc at Polish Institute Prague (Malé náměstí 1, 110 00 Praha 1)
- 17 March 2011 in Leipzig (book fair): Artur Becker, Ostap Slyvynsky and Igor Stokfiszewski, moderated by Jörg Magenau at 12:00 Messegelände Leipzig (Hall 4 / E 401) and at 19:00 at Polish Institute Leipzig (Markt 10, 04109 Leipzig)
- 18 March 2011 in Vilnius at 18:00: Ihar Babkov and Donatas Petrošius, moderated by Laurynas Katkus at Polish Institute Vilnius (Didžioji g. 23, 01128 Vilnius)
Website: www.letterstomilosz.eu, www.halma-network.eu
HALMA - Das europäische Netzwerk literarischer Zentren e.V. Karl-Kunger-Str. 55 D-12435 Berlin, Ansprechperson: Katarzyna Lorenc presse@halma-network.eu tel: 0049 (0)30 97882578