CELEBRATION OF THE 100th ANNIVERSARY OF THE BIRTH OF CZESLAW MILOSZ
The Permanent Delegation of Lithuania to UNESCO and the Embassy of the Republic of Lithuania in France organised on 7 April, 2011, a literary evening to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the birth of Czeslaw Milosz, Lithuanian-Polish poet, writer, translator and expert in Literature.
Thanks to active efforts commonly deployed by Lithuania and Poland, this anniversary was inscribed on the list of anniversaries with which UNESCO is associated in 2010-2011.
In her introductory speech, the Lithuanian Ambassador in France, Jolanta Balčiūnienė, put emphasis on an intimate relation which linked Cz. Milosz and Lithuania. This Nobel-Prize-for-Literature winner was born in the village of Šeteniai, near Kėdainiai, where he spent his entire childhood. Cz. Milosz‘s attachment to his family roots, as the author himself liked to repeat, provided him with inspiration for writing.
During the evening, three well-known Lithuanian academic figures – PhD Mindaugas Kvietkauskas, director of the Institute of Lithuanian Literature and Folklore, PhD Genovaitė Dručkutė, head of the French Philology Department of Vilnius University, and Dr. Habil. Viktorija Daujotytė-Pakerienė, professor at Vilnius University, – shared with the public their knowledge and insights about Cz. Milosz' writings, as well as about specific aspects of his life, such as his friendship with Oscar Milosz. Also, some excerpts from Cz. Milosz‘ poetry were read by Zygmunt Blazynsky, actor and theatre director.
The evening was assisted by French intelligentsia, experts in Literature, diplomats, members of the French Association of Friends of Oscar Milosz and those of the Lithuanian Community in France.
If interested, you will find below the three presentations of the evening:
M. Kvietkauskas‘ presentation (English)
G. Dručkutė‘s presentation (French)
