Speaking at a discussion meeting initiated by the UNESCO Regional Office for the Maghreb on the occasion of the 29th International Book and Publishing Fair (SIEL), Ms Michalski-Hoffmann stressed that the initiative of writing residencies is at the heart of the missions of this Swiss Foundation, which aims to promote literary creation and combat the “erosion” of reading.
“Many authors are poorly paid for their work and have little time to devote themselves solely to their creative activities, hence the accommodation of authors and translators in this precious haven for a stay of variable duration, ranging from two weeks to three months,” explained Ms Michalski-Hoffmann, also a UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador.
Every year, she continued, the Jan Michalski Foundation welcomes around fifty authors and translators from all over the world who submit their applications in advance via the Foundation’s website.
Housed in buildings surrounded by the calm of the surrounding forest, the writers receive a monthly grant to help them carry out their literary projects, while enjoying concerts, exhibitions and meetings with authors invited for conferences, as well as exchanges with other residents from all over the world, she noted.
“Our residents appreciate being in a kind of bubble, being able to free themselves from all material contingencies in order to be able to concentrate solely on the act of writing and giving free rein to their creativity,” she noted, recalling that they also benefit from the service of librarians who spare no effort to find them the documentation necessary to accomplish their work.
Financial aid is also granted by the Jan Michalski Foundation to help bring literary projects to life beyond its own walls, both in Switzerland and abroad.
In addition to these initiatives, the Jan Michalski Prize for Literature is awarded each year by the Foundation to recognize a work of international literature, said Ms. Michalski-Hoffmann.
Placed under the High Patronage of His Majesty King Mohammed VI, the SIEL, which continues until May 19, with UNESCO as guest of honor, confirms Morocco’s vocation as a country of meetings, dialogue and cultural exchanges, by offering a wide choice of activities bringing together Moroccan and foreign authors, thinkers and creators.
2024-09-16 05:14:28