25th berlin literature festival - An evening of solidarity for Ukraine

Together with PEN Berlin and PEN Ukraine and with the support of the Ukrainian Institute in Berlin, we commemorate the many journalists who constantly risk their lives – and even lose them – for their reporting, as in the tragic case of the young author and reporter Victoria Amelina. In addition to readings from Amelina’s last book ͏»Blick auf Frauen den Krieg im Blick« – read by Maren Eggert – Paul Ronzheimer and Vassili Golod will share their experiences as reporters on the front lines.

Furthermore, the writers Katja Petrowskaja, Yevgeniy Breyger, and Tanja Maljartschuk will reflect on how the war is shaping their everyday lives and their work. What (artistic) contribution can they make to help protect Ukraine from dissolution?

The president of PEN Ukraine, Volodymr Yermolenko, will outline in a lecture the precarious situation of writers and media professionals in Ukraine, and explain how the struggle within the country revolves around interpretive authority and independent documentation of current events. Serhij Zhadan, who volunteered for service in the Ukrainian National Guard in spring 2024, will join us via video message to share his experiences.

The evening will be hosted by Alev Doğan and Jörg Thadeusz, with musical accompaniment by DJ and guitarist Yuriy Gurzhy, and an opening address by Deniz Yücel.

Stand in solidarity with us and with Ukraine.

By purchasing a solidarity ticket (Solidaritätsticket), available in the ticket shop under the menu item »Discounts«, you directly support PEN Ukraine in its work. With your purchase, you help provide tangible assistance to persecuted writers, exile grants for Ukrainian authors as well as the documentation and disclosure of human rights violations.