In Bialystok, they could not pass by such an event, which Belarusians all over the world celebrate – the 100th anniversary of the birth of the national writer Vasil Bykau.
A big memorial evening was organized in the Fama cafe by the forces of the Center for Belarusian Culture and the Foundation “Kamunikat”. It began with a screening of a film about the writer and his discussions about literature.
“The whole complex of human experiences and human problems occurred in the war. There is life, and death, and birth, and becoming, and self-affirmation, and heroism, and its antipode is cowardice and betrayal. Everything was there. And if our society existed in a democratic atmosphere and our literature would develop normally, as it should develop in a democratic society, all this would somehow be investigated and discovered in literature,” the film said.
The party was hosted by Ilona Karpiuk, deputy head of the Belarusian Culture Center: “First, to meet, we listen to those who were personally acquainted with Vasil Bykau, Uladzimir Arlou. That’s one thing. On the other hand, a biographical book in Polish translation “The Road Home” appeared last year. And so we decided to invite Joanna Bernatowicz, who translated this book.”
During the evening, Uladzimir Arlou shared his memories of Vasil Bykau. Joanna Bernatowicz told about the book “The Long Way Home”, published in Polish. Jaroslaw Ivaniuk, the head of the Foundation “Kamunikat”, presented Bykau’s book published by him with the stories “Dugout” and “Afghaner”. There were also duda and singing performed by Yauhen and Volha Baryshnikau.
