Over 100 poets from more than 20 countries arrive in Bucharest this week

The seventh edition of the Bucharest International Poetry Festival is kicking off this week, with over 100 poets from over 20 countries arriving in the Romanian capital during May 18-22 to attend those over 20 scheduled events: public reading sessions, debates, book launches and round tables.

Korean poet Ko Un (photo) will launch his latest poetry volume “Time with dead poets” at the “Carol I” central university library, 88 Calea Victoriei on May 18 at 16:30. H.E Kim Eun Joong, Korea’s ambassador in Bucharest will present the event, next to other guests.

Ko Un, born in 1933 is considered the greatest contemporary Korean poets, a “live legend” boasting over 155 volumes, with 70 of them poetry books. His books have been translated in over 25 countries. Ko Un was awarded over 30 national and international literary prizes and he has been Korea’s no.1 candidate for the Nobel Prize on literature for years.

Yang Lian from China is now living in Switzerland. He chose to leave the country after he had been included on the list of “misty poets” in the 70s, meaning those who opposed the Cultural Revolution’s restrictions in China at that time. He is most famous for the poems from his Norilang collection.

Marilar Aleixandre is a writer, poetess and translator born in Spain but established in Galicia. She declared herself as “an identity thief”. Her writings have been translated in Spanish, Portuguese, Chinese and English.

Vladimir Durisic from Montenegro is also composer, besides writing poetry and essays. The volume Nothing Will Soon Explode released in 2007 was awarded the Risto Ratković National Poetry Prize.

Menna Elfyn comes from Wales and she is the most known Welsh poetess with her writings being translated in 18 languages. She is the first woman in Wales who has ever been awarded the “Professor of Poetry” title.

Cathrina Gripenberg belongs to the Swedish minority community in Finland. She published three poetry volumes bringing her important awards such as the Finnish National Radio’s Poetry Prize Tanssiva Karhu (2008).

Enes Halilovic is a Serbian 38-year-old poet, writer and journalist. His poems have been translated in English, German, Spanish, Russian, Arabian, French, Polish, Romanian, Hungarian, Slovenian, Greek or Bulgarian, and even in Catalan.

Nikola Madzirov is a Macedonian poet, also considered one of the strongest lyric voices in Europe. His poems have been translated in over 30 languages and published in anthologies on all continents. He is one of the coordinators of Lyrikline international poetry network and editor at Diversity magazine.

Tomasz Mielcarek is a Polish poet, translator and freelancer journalist, with poems published in English, Bulgarian, Belorussian, German, Russian and Slovak anthologies.

Amir Or from Israel is the author of 11 poetry volumes and two novels. His poems have been translated in over 40 languages by various publishing houses in Europe and America. He set up Helicon Poetry Society in 1990 and he is a founding member of EACWP (European Association of Creative Writing Programs) and WPM (WorldPoetry Movement).

Alvin Pang from Singapore saw his poems translated in over 15 countries, with his name being present at the well-known Oxford Companion to Modern Poetry in 2013. He has been designated Singapore’s „Young Artist of the Year for Literature” in 2005 and he received Singapore Youth Award (Arts and Culture) and the JCCI Foundation Education Award in 2007 and 2008.

Katerina Rudcenkova is a poetess from the Czech Republic who published four poetry volumes. Her poems have been translated in over 20 languages.

Karlis Verdins from Latvia is a poet and author of books for children, whose works have been translated in Russia, Poland, as well as in English.

Anastassis Vistonitis comes from Greece. He published 11 poetry books, four travel books and four essay books. He is also the author of a short novel and of a translations selection from the Chinese poet Li Ho. He has been translated in 20 languages.

Tomomi Adachi is a performer and sound poet from Japan who is also famous as installation creator and theatre director. He also boasts as vocalist of contemporary music. Adachi is the only sound poetry performer in Japan and the one who has performed Ursonate by Kurt Schwitters for the first time in Japan.

Jaap Blonk is a poet, composer and performer from the Netherlands, staging performances all over the world, both solo and in partnership with famous contemporary musicians.

French Joel Hubaut is another guest, famous for his fiction and poetry works which resort to an aesthetics of dispersion.

Angelica Meyer is a vocal performer from Germany, preoccupied with the experimental literature, sounding poetry, contemporary vocal music and improvisation. She has been member of the famous world group Exvoco, one of the first bands that created performances after Dada poems.

Enzo Minarelli from Italy is also interested in the poetry, sound and image mix. In the 80s he produced video poetry and video sound poetry installations at Centro Video Arte di Ferrara. Minarelli set up Manifesto of Polypoetry in 1987.

Hannah Silva from UK is a poetess, performer, known for her innovative explorations in the language area. She tackles various topics from the political rhetoric, psychic, the teenager’s sexual identity up to the long-distance running.

Peg Boyers from US is born in Venezuela, but also lived in Italy, Spain, Cuba, Nigeria, Indonesia or Lybia. Among his books there are Hard Bread şi Honey with Tobacco, both published by the University of Chicago Press.