150th anniversary of the birth of Joseph Conrad-Korzeniowski, writer (1857-1924).
Celebrating personalities, works or events that have contributed to the mutual enrichment of cultures helps to promote international understanding, closer relations among peoples and peace. Since 1956 UNESCO has been participating in the commemorations of historic events and in the celebrations of anniversaries of eminent personalities by Member States and Associate Members, in order to give them worldwide significance.
In a letter of 13/01/2005, addressed to the Director-General, the Polish National Commission for UNESCO supported by the National Commission of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland for UNESCO requested that UNESCO should be associated in 2007 with the 150th anniversary of the birth of Joseph Conrad Korzeniowski.
The Director-General considers that this request meets the criteria adopted by the Executive Board at its 159th session and proposes that UNESCO be associated with the celebration of this anniversary:
- Joseph Conrad, Polish-born English novelist, primarily seen in his own time as a writer of boys' sea stories, is now highly regarded as a novelist whose work displays a deep moral consciousness and masterful narrative technique. His works (13 novels, two volumes of memoirs, and 28 short stories) demonstrate his major interest in the human condition and his political concern. Some of his novels can be considered autobiographical, however in all his literary works, fictions and essays, Conrad is most of all a moralist, highlighting the problems of individual responsibility and human solidarity.
Resolution was adopted at the 20th plenary meeting, on 20 October 2005.
{C}Throughout 2007 many literary societies and organizations all over the world are marking the 150th anniversary of Conrad's birth, among others:
28 February - 15 August 2007, Warsaw, Poland - The Adam Mickiewicz Museum of Literature: an exhibition "Joseph Conrad. Twixt land and sea" to commemorate the 150th anniversary of birth of Konrad Korzeniowski (Joseph Conrad), Polish noble and English writer and sailor.
The title of the exhibition, derived from a collection of Conrad's short stories 'TWIXT LAND AND SEA (1912), is meant to serve as a metaphor. [...] The title opens the space between the land and the wide sea for dreams, feelings, moral choices, remembrances and - above all - the art. Conrad will guide you through this realm with fragments of his works and letters.
23-29 April 2007, Toulouse, France - Conrad at Toulouse: A Celebration "La Semaine polonaise de Toulouse" - "Joseph Conrad Korzeniowski - altérité / identité".
Organised by "La Semaine polonaise de Toulouse" Association and the University of Toulouse. More information in French on the
link*pages of the Association...*http://semainepolonaise.fr**.**
5-7 July 2007, London, United Kingdom - The Joseph Conrad Society (UK): The 33d Annual International Conference (more information on pages www.josephconradsociety.org)
Held at the Polish Cultural Centre, Hammersmith, and the National Maritime Museum, Greenwich. To include a visit to "Out of Heart of Darkness" by the Puppet Barge Theatre on Thursday evening. Lectures and exhibition at the National Maritime Museum on Saturday, including the second Philip J. Conrad Memorial Lecture, given by J.H. Stape.
8-13 July, 2007, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, USA - Summer Institutes in Literary Studies, National Humanities Center: "Joseph Conrad's 'Under Western Eyes'" - one of two seminars on literary understanding (source: www.nhc.rtp.nc.us).
The Summer Institutes in Literary Studies are open to scholars who have received a doctoral degree within the last 10 years and who teach in departments of literature or other relevant disciplines at colleges or universities in the United States. The seminars will concentrate on the detailed operations of literary texts.
4–7 August 2007, Szczecin, Poland - The Melville Society and The Joseph Conrad Society of America: The Melville Society's Sixth International Conference - "Hearts of Darkness: Melville and Conrad in the Space of World Culture" (more information on pages www.melville.us.edu.pl)
The Melville Society will hold its biennial international conference in conjuction with The Joseph Conrad Society of America in the Hanseatic port of Szczecin, Poland. A conference held in conjunction with the maritime festival Tall Ships' Races Szczecin 2007.
22-26 September 2007, Krakow, Poland - The Jagiellonian University Joseph Conrad Research Centre and the Joseph Conrad Society (Poland): "The Reception of the Work of Joseph Conrad - Readers Real and Implied" (more information on pages www.polonistyka.uj.edu.pl)
The plenary speakers at the conference include: Andrzej Busza, University of British Columbia, Canada (ret.); Terry Collits, Latrobe University, Australia; Anthony Fothergill, University of Exeter, U.K.; Jakob Lothe, Oslo University, Norway; Peter Mallios, Univ. of Maryland, USA; Josiane Paccaud-Huguet, Université de Lyon, France; Allan Simmons, St. Mary's College, London, U.K.
early-October to mid-November 2007 (provisional), Canterbury, Kent - Museum of Canterbury: "Joseph Conrad: Images of a Famous Life"
An exhibition of photographs, cartoons and other illustrations, including etchings by Muirhead Bone and Walter Tittle and the Jacob Epstein bust.
1-30 November 2007, London - "Conrad Season" at The National Film Theatre (more information on pages www.bfi.org.uk)
British Film Institute, South Bank, London SE1. Sixteen Conrad films will be shown throughout the month (each film twice) in a programme sponsored by the Polish Cultural Institute in consultation with Gene Moore.
27-30 December 2007, Chicago, USA - The Margaret Atwood Society: Annual Modern Language Association Convention (source: The Joseph Conrad Society of America).
Two sessions are being prepared: "Conrad and Masculinity" and " 'The Secret Agent' at 100".