The “Writer Reading Month,” a major literary event in Central and Eastern Europe, has come to a close with author Chen Youjin delivering the final reading session. 31 Taiwanese writers participated in this month-long event, taking turns to share their works. Throughout the event, the Taiwanese flag flew high outside theaters in Brno, Czech Republic, making “Taiwan” the summer highlight in the Czech region.
According to a press release from the Taipei Representative Office in the Czech Republic, the renowned literary event of Central Europe, “Writer Reading Month,” designated Taiwan as the theme country this year. For the entire month of July, daily readings by Taiwanese writers were held in Brno, Ostrava, Bratislava in Slovakia, Kosice, and Presov, allowing readers in Central Europe to experience the charm of Taiwanese literature during the summer.
As the month-long Writer Reading Month in Central Europe came to its conclusion, author Chen Youjin took the final stage. She read excerpts from “Almost a Taipei Person” and “Cross-Border Communication” at the theater in Brno and discussed common experiences of immigrant marriages and war veterans with the Director of the Institute of Asian and African Studies at the Czech Academy of Sciences, Táňa Dluhošová.
The closing ceremony of the Writer Reading Month showcased a festive atmosphere, with the organizing entity, Větrné mlýny Publishing House, presenting a sunflower to Chen Youjin as a token of appreciation, representing the 31 Taiwanese writers. After the event, staff members joyfully shouted “Taiwan!”
The Writer Reading Month is the largest literary event in Central Europe, selecting a theme country each year and inviting 31 writers from the chosen country to tour Central European cities to hold reading sessions.
In the past, countries such as Norway, Iceland, France, and Canada have been selected as theme countries. This year, marking the 25th anniversary of the event, in light of the recent friendly relations between Taiwan and the Czech Republic, Taiwan was chosen as the theme country for the first time, becoming the first Asian country to be invited.
Throughout the entire month of July, “Taiwan” became the summer icon in Brno, Czech Republic. Writers read daily at the Goose on a String Theatre in Brno, with the national flag of the Republic of China hanging high on the theater’s walls. Street signs introducing the 31 Taiwanese invited writers attracted many passersby to stop and watch.
The promotional materials produced by the organizers, including the Taiwan literary newspaper, writer postcard sets, “I Read Taiwan” badges, as well as an activity catalogue introducing all participating writers, became a testimony for book lovers attending events daily and collecting author signatures.
Through this event, Taiwanese literature gained significant exposure in Central Europe. A discussion held at the Havel Library in Prague in late June with authors Li Ang and Chen Sihong, broadcasted by Czech Television, marked the first time a Taiwan-related event entered mainstream Czech media, successfully setting a warm-up tone for the Reading Month.
Starting from July, the Taiwanese authors’ reading sessions in various cities saw enthusiastic attendance by the public, who showed great interest in the works of Taiwanese writers, asking a wide array of questions and engaging in lively interactions.
Furthermore, due to the readings by Taiwanese writers, publishing houses in the Czech Republic and Slovakia have expressed their willingness to publish books by the invited authors, further expanding the readership of Taiwanese literature in Central Europe and creating more opportunities for cultural exchanges through literature.
(Source: Central News Agency)