Our being in the world has never depended so on the way other people would perceive us and our texts. What is the meaning today of being an ambassador of a country with ancient history and strong European cultural tradition which, however, isn’t so obviously ripe? Is translating Ukrainian literature in times of its reconsidering around the globe a mission or just a job to do? Which type of attention does it require? How do books we translate contribute to changes in ourselves? Are literature and translation capable of changing global historical processes?

Have you ever dreamed of looking over the professional’s shoulder and finding out what it is like to translate a Chinese historical novel? The translator Oleksandra Bespala will lift the curtain on her work on an excerpt from a novel Taiwan Travelogue by Yáng Shuāng-zǐ (working title), telling us about the challenges and highlights of working on this text and inviting us to reflect on the complexities and creative solutions behind each sentence. The audience will have a chance to ask questions.