Urgent appeal to the literary community regarding Ukraine
War continues in Ukraine. And yet, contrary to all expectations, the book market here is reviving and has already returned to pre-war levels. Moreover, we believe that it is about to exceed them, proving the social role of reading in times of war, crisis, uncertainty and fear. The situation in Ukraine clearly shows that for many people, reading literature is a vital necessity in abnormal times.
Personal, deep contact with another person’s creative act acquires real value precisely at critical moments – when arguments lose their meaning and the constant desire to compare and evaluate, characteristic of literary life in safe, prosperous countries, no longer matters. In extreme conditions, amid the chaos of war, literature returns to its roots, once again becoming a sophisticated and profound means of communication – both with other people and with culture in general. It creates a sense of belonging to the world, filling life with meaning and substance. And, ultimately, it provides respite from traumatic experiences and pervasive fear.
For literary life to develop fully, people need to gather around books. According to the principle we uphold, every literary meeting is not only a contact between the author and readers; it is also a moment when the listeners themselves meet. This is how an exceptional community is formed. In Ukraine, as before the war, crowds come to literary events – and perhaps today they are even more engaged. Unfortunately, the number of foreign writers visiting Ukraine has fallen sharply, for obvious reasons. Our Ukrainian friends – authors, readers, organisers of cultural events – say that they feel this absence very painfully. Every visit by a foreign writer is particularly appreciated and celebrated here. It is part of the struggle to return to normal life, a sign of solidarity and support; it can be an effective weapon against propaganda, lies and attempts by the Russian aggressor to destroy culture.
We appeal to authors, literary agents and publishers from around the world to plan their meetings in Ukraine. The importance and courage of your personal presence, live conversations with readers, words of support, excerpts from books that you read aloud, can mean much more than support from afar, which is undoubtedly important but only symbolic. It could also be a turning point in your own perception of what is happening in a country where not a day goes by without casualties and where air raid sirens never stop. We sincerely ask you to come and meet the people who drown out the sound of sirens by reading your books.
See you in Ukraine!
Olga Tokarczuk and members of the Olga Tokarczuk Foundation