Press releases

GOMEL, 2 November (BelTA) – Writers from Belarus, Ukraine, and Russia have gathered in Gomel to participate in the ninth international festival of Slavic literature and events to celebrate the tenth anniversary of the Gomel Oblast division of the Belarusian Writers` Union on 2 to 6 November, BelTA learned from head of the regional division of the Belarusian Writers` Union Vladimir Gavrilovich.

Writers from Ukraine’s Chernihiv Oblast and Russia’s Bryansk Oblast have come to Gomel to greet their Belarusian colleagues and take part in the celebrations.

The ninth international festival of Slavic literature will officially open in Gomel on 5 November. Attending the event will be over 60 writers and poets from Belarus and other countries of the CIS. The celebration program includes presentations of books by Gomel Oblast writers, projects jointly conducted with Ukrainian and Russian partners. The winners of the children’s art competitions organized by the Gomel Oblast division of the Belarusian Writers` Union will be awarded prizes as part of the festival.

Besides, the program features meetings with school students, evenings of literature, autograph signings, and workshops. For example, Russian poet Leonid Sever will meet with students of Gomel secondary school No.33 on 4 November. On 6 November, the participants of the festival will visit Yelsk and Yelsk District to donate their books to local libraries.

The international festival of Slavic literature was founded in Gomel in 2007. Since then, it has become a major cultural event for Gomel Oblast. The number of its participants is growing from year to year. The festival is aimed at supporting young talented poets and writers, promoting Belarusian literature, and exchanging experience with Russian and Ukrainian colleagues.