Ukrainian poet at the international poetry festival Poetry Africa in South Africa
Ukrainian poet Yuliya Musakovska, with the support of the Ukrainian Institute, took part in the largest poetry festival in SA, called Poetry Africa, representing Ukrainian literature at the international level. The theme of the 2024 festival, “Somehow We Survive,” immersed the poets in discussions about important social issues and cultural resilience.
Yuliya Musakovska participated in three events within the framework of the festival:
- an online session “Poetry in a New Tongue: The Art of Translation”, where she and a South African poet shared their experience of translating poetry
- a workshop for students of Mangosuthu University of Technology on the importance of literature as a tool for rethinking social challenges
- a session “Somehow We Survive”, where Yulya participated together with other poets from different countries: South Africa, Saudi Arabia, Lesotho, and Belgium. Yuliya read her translations of Artur Dron’s texts from the collection “We Were Here”, her own texts from “The God of Freedom”, as well as new poetry written during the full-scale invasion from the book “Stones and Nails” (2024). One of the poems is dedicated to the memory of the fallen Ukrainian soldiers.
The recording of the online session “Poetry in a New Tongue: The Art of Translation” can be viewed online here.
“Poetry Africa is a major international festival that brings together poets from across the African continent and beyond who are important voices in their communities. In these few days, I heard the most important words for me: “her poetry made the situation in Ukraine closer to us,” “the media distorts reality,” “I changed my mind because I met someone who came from the scene.” And the warmth and hospitality of the South Africans cannot be overestimated,” Yuliya Musakovska.
The participation of the Ukrainian poet was supported by the International Renaissance Foundation with the assistance of the Cultural Diplomacy Foundation.
About Poetry Africa
Poetry Africa is the largest international poetry festival in South Africa, organized by the Centre for Creative Arts at the University of KwaZulu-Natal, located in Durban. The festival was launched in 1996 and takes place annually in October, bringing together poets from all over the world. The festival includes poetry readings, public discussions, and literary workshops for young people.