🖋 The programme opened with the discussion “Working Across Time: Memory, Identity, and History”, co-organised with the Austrian Cultural Forum. Featuring Austrian writer Valerie Fritsch and a Ukrainian author, the conversation was moderated by Indian literary critic Murtaza Ali Khan. The discussion focused on historical memory, Ukrainian identity, and resistance to Russian aggression. Speakers emphasised Ukraine’s status as an independent historical subject and described the war as a continuation of Russia’s neo-colonial policies, sharing lived experiences of full-scale invasion, including attacks on energy infrastructure.
🔖 On the final day of the fair, the Ukrainian event concluded the official programme. Participants included Yuliya Musakovska, Liubko Deresh, Suborno Chattarji, and Nidhish Tyagi. Moderated by Chattarji, the conversation addressed writing as a form of resistance and healing, the destruction of Ukrainian culture and language, 20th-century repressions, and murdered Ukrainian artists. The framing of the war as part of Russia’s colonial project resonated strongly with the Indian audience.
The event featured readings in Ukrainian with translations into English and Hindi. Ukraine’s presence at the fair reaffirmed the role of Ukrainian literature as a powerful tool for cultural dialogue with India.
🤝 The programme was jointly implemented by the Ukrainian Institute and the Österreichisches Kulturforum Kyjiw, in cooperation with the Embassy of Ukraine in the Republic of India, with institutional support from the Austrian Embassy New Delhi.