The Polish–Ukrainian literary festival City with a River has begun in Przemyśl. According to the organisers, “this is a new festival on the literary map of Poland. It arose from the need to create a space in Przemyśl, a border town, for dialogue and stories about this part of the world.”
The festival town will stretch along both sides of the San River, which until now has more often divided than united. The organisers want to change this perspective and are fostering Polish–Ukrainian dialogue in a city that has returned to the San.
The slogan of the first edition: border / collision / transition.
Participants will discuss geographical and symbolic borders and raise questions about crises and a shared future. The programme includes meetings with authors from Poland and Ukraine, as well as performing arts, morning yoga on the San River, coffee with writers, bicycle tours of Przemyśl, guided city walks, a zone for children and families, and a festival reading room — a space for dialogue and exchange of ideas.
“We are creating this festival as residents of Przemyśl by choice, as well as allies from all over Poland and Ukraine — out of a need to talk, a desire for development, courage and authenticity,” say the festival organisers.
The festival will take place from 14 to 17 August near the San River.
The event is being held as part of the project City, River, Home — Spaces of Literature in Przemyśl. It is financed with the support of the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage from the Culture Promotion Fund — a state special-purpose fund.