Artem Chapeye held a series of discussions in Amsterdam, Rotterdam and The Hague, according to the Ukrainian Institute.
One of the key events was participation in the European Literature Night, organised together with EUNIC Netherlands for Europe Day. In a conversation with writers from Estonia, Poland, Romania, Germany and Greece, participants discussed the transformations Europe is currently experiencing, the impact of war on societies, and how literature helps to interpret these changes.
The tour also included dedicated events presenting the Dutch translation of the book Not Born for War (Ordinary People Don’t Carry Machine Guns), which was published in the Netherlands at the end of February under the title Gewone mensen dragen geen machinegeweren, translated by Tobias Wals.
“Three friends have already told me they cried after reading the final lines of this book,” said translator Tobias Wals. “Chapeye shows Ukraine in its struggle for survival — with all its heroism and its flaws. Everything is presented from a deeply human perspective. I am proud of this translation and want as many Dutch readers as possible to read it.”
The tour in the Netherlands was organised by the local branch of the Ukrainian Institute.