The 1. SWIATOWY KONGRES TLUMACZY LITERATURY POLSKIEJ / 1ST WORLD CONFERENCE OF POLISH LITERATURE TRANSLATORS is the most important project this year of the
Institute of Books in Krakow. Prominent journalist
Ryszard Kapuscinski delivered the inaugural address, titled "The Contribution of Translators to Cultural Development."
The conference program includes panel discussions on the reception of Polish literature and on Polish cultural offerings abroad, as well as workshops lead by literature historians, literary critics, authors and publishers. During workshops, translators had an opportunity to learn about the newest trends in Polish literature, new titles by renowned writers and the secrets of modern Polish, and to discuss the poetry of Boleslaw Lesmian and the oeuvre of
Witold Gombrowicz.
participated in the conference. The largest representations hailed from other European countries, but there was no lack of guests from China, Egypt and as far afield as Cuba. Conference participants included individuals with significant achievements who in many cases have been translating for decades. This group included such notables as Henryk Bereska, Anders Bodegard, Bill Johnson, Zofia Bobowicz, Ester Kinsky, Karol Lesman. Also attending were translators who only recently embarked on their careers.
The conference culminated with a ceremony during which the Books Institute awarded its "TRANSATLANTIC" Prize for propagators of Polish literature abroad.
The first laureate of the prize is Henryk Bereska.
Over fifty individuals from twenty-five countries have been nominated for the award. Although most of the nominees are translators, the group also includes publishers, writers and journalists. Candidates for the prize were nominated by Polish embassies and Polish Institutes abroad, the diplomatic missions of other countries in Poland, as well as writers, Polish and foreign publishers, literary critics, universities and writers associations, including some foreign ones.
The winner was chosen by a council (Eva Hoffman, Vera Michalski, Karl Dedecius,
Adam Zagajewski THE PROGRAM OF THE CONFERENCE
May 12, 2005, Thursday- 10.00-13.00 - Uniwersytet Jagiellonski / Jagiellonian University (Campus Pychowice)
Opening celebration
"The Contribution of Translators to Cultural Development" - inaugural address, delivered by Ryszard Kapuscinski
"The Reception of Polish Literature Abroad" – panel discussion involving the most active translators of Polish literature from some of the largest language zones (Henryk Bereska, Zofia Bobowicz, Anders Bodegard, Bill Johnston, Ksenia Starosielska).
Host: Albrecht Lempp. - 15.30-17.00 - Willa Decjusza
1st series of workshops: Prose 1
"New Titles by Renowned Writers"
Host: Przemyslaw Czaplinski
Prose 2
"New Names in Polish Prose"
Host: Marta Mizuro
Meeting with publishers of poetry
Wydawnictwo a5, Biuro Literackie
"New Polish Drama"
Host: Roman Pawlowski
"What to Translate from Among the Polish Classics"
Host: Krzysztof Biedrzycki
"The Works of Czeslaw Milosz in Translation" – translation workshop (in cooperation with The Milosz Institute. Library & Archives)
Host: Agnieszka Kosinska and Magdalena Heydel
- 17.00-18.30 - Willa Decjusza
2nd series of workshops: Prose 3
"New Titles by Renowned Writers"
Host: Jerzy Jarzębski
Meeting with publishers
Wydawnictwo Literackie, SIW "Znak"
"The Polish Teacher's Tool Kit – new important books on Polish literature"
Host: Teresa Walas
Poetry 1
"Introduction to New Polish Poetry"
Host: Jerzy Jarniewicz
"The Works of Czeslaw Milosz in Translation" – translation workshop - continuation (in cooperation with The Milosz Institute. Library & Archives)
Host: Agnieszka Kosinska and Magdalena Heydel
May 13, 2005, Friday- 11.00-13.30 - Uniwersytet Jagiellonski (Campus Pychowice)
"Polish Cultural Offerings for Europe: Literature" – panel discussion involving representatives of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Culture, focusing on cultural promotion strategy and on the tools that can be applied toward achieving objectives
Offer presentation by the Adam Mickiewicz Institute
Offer presentation by the Institute of Books
- 15:00-16:30 - Willa Decjusza
3rd workshop series: Prose 4
"Not Only for the Ladies – Romantic Prose"
Host: Justyna Sobolewska
Meeting with publishers:
Wydawnictwo "Czarne", "Swiat Ksiazki", Proszynski i S-ka
"Gombrowiczology for Everyone"
Host: Jerzy Jarzebski
"The Polish School of Reportage"
Host: Mariusz Szczygiel
"On the Poetry of Boleslaw Lesmian"
Host: Michal Pawel Markowski
Essay 1
"Undiscovered Books"
Host: Marek Zaleski
- 19.00 - Teatr im. J. Slowackiego / Juliusz Slowacki Theatre
"TRANSATLANTIC" Awards Ceremony
May 14, 2005, Saturday- 10:00-11:30 - Willa Decjusza
4th workshop series: Prose 5
"Not Only for the Boys – Fantasy Literature"
Host: Robert Ziebinski
Meeting with publishers:
Wydawnictwo WAB, Wydawnictwo "slowo obraz/terytoria" and "Pogranicze"
"The Secrets of Modern Polish"
Prowadzący: Bartlomiej Chacinski
Essay 2
"The Contemporary Essay"
Host: Michal Pawel Markowski
Prose 6
"New Names in Polish Prose"
Host: Dariusz Nowacki
Poetry 2
"Introduction to New Polish Poetry"
Host: Tadeusz Pioro