Reading the Heart of Europe

Project area
Books and Reading / Literary Translation 
Producer
Beletrina Publishing Institute (lead) 
Call
Creative Europe (2014 -2020) - Culture / Literary translation 2018
EU funding
95.781,02 EUR (1. leto - FPA I/3)
Year
2018 

Project duration: 1. 1. 2019–31. 12. 2019 (1st year)
EU support: Category 2 – Framework Partnership Agreement (FPA): 95.781,02 EUR (1st year); 97.531,65 EUR (2nd year); 99.989,79 EUR (3rd year)

30 literary high quality works translated from diverse European languages write about personal challenges in an increasing troubled world, subjected to profound transformations, trying to find the core common values, ideas and meanings – looking for the “heart” of Europe, seeing it differently. “But the eyes are blind.” Said Saint-Exupery’s Little Prince, “One must look with the heart.”

The richness and diversity of the European literary landscape in the works could hardly be bigger, including genres – from poetry, short stories, and novels to books for younger readers. Younger authors (Oksanen, Vojnović, Szvoren etc.) highlight their outstanding emerging literary talent with excellent potential to expand access for general public. These authors are part of cultural, ethnic and religious diversity of contemporary Europe in the “age of migration and globalization”. They encourage a healthy cool-headed debate about European collective project of mutually shared values by stressing pluralism, which is a great potential for cultural export worldwide. Reading of classic masterpieces (Andrić, Celan) contributes to learning of the importance of (re)reading history: our troubled past has given way to peace and the sacrifice of previous generations should never be forgotten. The high literary value of works is reflected in their depth, complexity and unique quality. Human experiences are represented in a skilful way that masterly engages the reader.

Our powerful and innovative strategy of promotion will convey the core of European heart: diversity of cultures, the feeling of belonging, love and compassion, solidarity, enthusiasm and courage that can contribute to greater awareness of European connectedness. In order to make our literary translations accessible and attractive for young readers, we developed an innovative smart distributional and promotional strategy, addressing attachment to literature (I love literature), thus opening a panoramic view, deep and wide. (Source: EAC.)

List of books (1st year of EU support):
– Ivo Adrić: Na sunčanoj strani / Na sončni strani. Translation from Serbo-Croatian into Slovene: Mateja Komel Snoj.
– Éric Vuillard: L’Ordre du Jour / Dnevni red. Translation from French into Slovene: Jaroslav Skrušny.
– Edina Szvoren: Nics, és ne is legyen / Ni in naj tudi ne bo*. Translation from Hungarian into Slovene: Marjanca Mihelič.
– Makis Citas: Μάρτυς μου ο Θεός / Bog mi je priča*. Translation from Greek into Slovene: Lara Unuk.
– Paul Celan: Gedichte in zwei Bänden – Erster Band / Izbrane pesmi 1. Translation from German into Slovene: dr. Vid Snoj.
– Jose Saramago: O Ano da Morte de Ricardo Reis / Leto smrti Richarda Reisa. Translation from Portuguese into Slovene: Barbara Juršič.
– Stefan Hertmans: De bekeerlinge / Tujka. Translation from Dutch into Slovene: Staša Pavlović.
– Sofi Oksanen: Stalinin lehmät / Stalinove krave. Translation from Finnish into Slovene: Julija Potrč.
– Goran Vojnović: Figa. Translation from Slovene into English: Olivia Frances Hellewell.
– Dušan Šarotar: Biljard v Dobrayu. Translation from Slovene into English: Rawley Martin Grau.
*EUPL Award.

Projects by the same producer

Projects in the same field