In recent years some of the most interesting Scandinavian books have been written by immigrants or people with immigrant background. These books offer important and nuanced reflections on the reality of cultural meetings.
In recent years some of the most interesting Scandinavian books have been written by immigrants or people with immigrant background. These books offer important and nuanced reflections on the reality of cultural meetings.
What do we loose and what do we gain, when we leave our home countries? How is it possible to write literature in a foreign language? Is writing literature about migration not only an artistic, but also a political act?
These questions will be discussed on November 10th at the series of events Second Tuesday, that invites to a meeting with the Danish writer Lone Aburas, the Swedish writer Theodor Kallifatides and the writer from Finland Sofi Oksanen. These three Nordic authors, in one way of the other, have their roots outside Nordic countries.
“Authors with immigrant background are freed from political demagogy as well as romantic illusions. Their books show us what it means, that our societies of today are truly multi-cultural”, says Stefan Anbro, the Danish lecturer at Vilnius University.
The Nordic countries have experienced many waves of migration: internal Nordic migration, European migration and since the 1960’ties a rising immigration from more distant countries in the Middle East and Asia. The result has been a variety of meetings – between people, cultures and languages – meetings, which have enriched our cultures, but also formed the basis of anxiety and sometimes even hostility.
The event Migration and Literature in Nordic countries will take place at the Embassy of Finland (Kalinausko 24, Vilnius) at 6 p.m.; the discussion will be held in English. The event is organized in close cooperation with the Scandinavian Department at Vilnius University and the Nordic Embassies.
Note! Since the event is taking place at the premises of the Embassy of Finland, the participants are asked to have an ID document.
About authors
Lone Aburas (born 1979) is one of the most interesting among the writers, who have made their debut on the Danish literary scene in 2009. Her novel The Fotex Lake (Fotexsoen) was released in March and received very acclaiming reviews from Danish critics. In Fotexsoen L. Aburas initiates a playful dialogue with the tradition of autobiographical writing, hinting that the story of the main character Lene is in fact her own story.
Theodor Kallifatides (born 1938) emigrated from Greece to Sweden in 1964 and has lived in this country ever since. Kallifatides made his literary debut with a poetry book, but gained recognition mainly through his subsequently published novels. Kallifatides has received numerous awards for his works which usually revolve around his experience of Greece and of being Greek in foreign domains. Almost all his works have been translated and published in more than 20 languages.
Sofi Oksanen (born 1977) has an Estonian-Finnish background. Her books created a living public debate and they have won numerous literary prizes, including Finlandia Award, Finlands premier literary award in 2008. With her first novel Stalin’s Cows (Stalinin lehmät) in 2003 Oksanen entered directly into the elite of Finnish writers. Stalin’s Cows depicts the lives of three women of three different generations and societies – grandmother, mother, and daughter.
Please note, that number of places is limited and the service of seat reservation is not available. The entrance is free of charge.
Second Tuesday is the series of events about the Nordic countries that are organized on the second Tuesday of the month. The initiator and organizer of the series is the Nordic Council of Ministers Office in Lithuania.