Ukraine

Literature Forums Meridian

Literary events in front-line cities promote exchange and unity in Ukraine – especially in times when the cultural infrastructure is under attack.

[DE Copy] Literaturforen Meridian_470x577

About the project

Odesa and Mykolaiv, Kharkiv and Zaporizhzhia form the front-line cities in the fight for the future of Ukraine and have become symbols of resilience. Literature takes on a new role in this reality, one that goes beyond the traditional art discourse: it contributes to strengthening the community, gives people their voice back, helps them understand the events, and supports the building of a shared future. In addition to readings and book presentations with Ukrainian authors and intellectuals, the focus is on discussions about the role of culture in the context of war and the reconstruction of destroyed cultural infrastructure.

“Culture is a frontline of resilience in times of war – shaping identity, sustaining hope, and safeguarding freedom.”

Julia Teek, Senior Project Manager Special Division Ukraine, Robert Bosch Stiftung

Russia’s war against Ukraine not only causes immense human suffering and loss, it also deliberately targets the country’s cultural identity and cultural heritage. The Russian invaders specifically bomb monuments of cultural heritage and cultural infrastructure facilities in Ukraine, such as museums or printing houses. The protection of and engagement with culture strengthens the recovery and rebuilding process of the country.

Cultural events, beside the cities Kyiv and Lviv, are sorely missed in the country, as they are important and rare places of encounter, exchange and identification with Ukrainian culture. “People who live in war want to know that they have culture, that they are culture,” says Ukrainian writer Jurko Prochasko.

The project involves the organization of five literary festivals in 2025 and 2026 in Kharkiv, Zaporizhzhia, Chernivtsi, Mykolaiv, and Odesa. Two pairs of parallel festivals in the front-line cities of Ukraine, as well as an additional festival in the comparatively safe city of Chernivtsi in western Ukraine, home to the Meridian Literature House.