The Head of the EC Representation in Denmark, Mr Jan Høst Schmidt, and his collaborator, Mr Klaus Bischoff, made the opening speeches in which they stressed that the event was a cooperation project between CZ PRES (via the Czech Embassy in Denmark) and the EC Representation in Copenhagen. Similar activities in the field of literature would take place under all following Presidencies. The Czech Ambassador Zdeněk Lyčka introduced Ms Petra Hůlová, who read two passages from her début All of This Belongs to Me and from her latest book Tajga Station. The Danish actress Ms Jette Sophie Sievertsen read the Danish translation of the two texts, which were prepared by Assoc. Professor Peter Bugge from Aarhus University.

Non-Danish-speaking participants were given the mentioned passage from Petra Hůlová’s first book in German, English and French. After the reading, a panel-debate with the writer, the translator and the Czech ambassador began. There were about 60 guests, incl. several ambassadors, the former Head of the Danish PEN-club Niels Barfoed, The Danish Cultural Institute’s Secretary General Finn Andersen, the editor of the renowned Danish publishing house Gyldendal Andrea Fehlauer Nielsen, Czechs living in Denmark, etc. The European Literature Evening in Copenhagen was rounded off by a glass of wine and the Czech beer.

 

On 20 March, Petra Hůlová read her texts and had a debate in the Student House at Aarhus University. This event was organized by the Department of the East-European Studies, IHO, Aarhus University, and the Czech Embassy in Copenhagen.

More information about nowadays Czech literature in English:www.pluh.org