A book from every EU country to mark the first Day of European Authors

To mark the first-ever Day of European Authors, Malta Libraries has founded its EU Author Library, starting with 27 winners of the European Union Prize for Literature (EUPL) from every EU member state.

March 27, 2023 was chosen as the first Day of European Authors, a European Commission initiative led by Commissioner Mariya Gabriel, aimed towards reconnecting younger generations with books and help them discover the diversity of European literature.

The EU Author Library was launched at a ceremony held at Central Public Library in Floriana in the presence of National Librarian Cheryl Falzon, Senior Assistant Librarian Margaret Callus, and David Schembri, the Language Officer at the European Commission Representation in Valletta.

“This new celebration is a great opportunity for us to venture outside our normal habits and exploring the literary riches that are being produced by writers in other European countries. Public libraries are an ideal venue to spread this message, since they are a living example of making knowledge accessible to everyone,” David Schembri said.

“By bringing EUPL prize winners to the shelves of public libraries in its care, in the original languages as well as in bridge languages, Malta Libraries continues to expand its multicultural collection development ethos so that it continues to serve the ever-changing and growing communities in Malta,” said Cheryl Falzon.

In Malta, the day is being marked with the launch of this library, as well as readings given by authors Walid Nabhan, himself a EUPL laureate, and Rita Saliba in schools. For this occasion, the European Commission Representation in Malta has also published commemorative bookmarks which will be distributed from library counters around Malta, with the text: “Skopri l-Ewropa ktieb ktieb: ibda l-vjaġġ mil-librerija" (Discover Europe book by book: start your trip at the library).

Across Europe,

 

The books are available to be borrowed by Malta Libraries members. To join visit a public library counter or apply online at: maltalibraries.gov.mt

Malta Libraries welcomes suggestions, collaborations and donations from embassies and communities on: customercare [dot] cplgov [dot] mt (customercare[dot]cpl[at]gov[dot]mt)

For more info about the Day of European Authors: https://culture.ec.europa.eu/cultural-and-creative-sectors/books-and-pu…

 

The inaugural books in the EU Author Library are the following:

Austria  ‘Geistergeschicte’ by Laura Freudenthaler (lang: German)             

Belgium ‘Post mortem’ by Peter Terrin (lang: English)      

Bulgaria ‘Thrown into nature’ by Milen Ruskov (lang: English)       

Croatia ‘August after midnight’ by Luka Bekavac (lang: English)    

Cyprus ‘The experiment’ by Myrto Azina Chronides (lang: English)

Czechia ‘The lake’ by Bianca Bellova (lang: English)            

Denmark ‘The easiness and the loneliness’ by Asta Olivia Nordenhof (lang: English)            

Estonia ‘Gogol's disco’ by Paavo Matsin (lang: English)    

Finland ‘Things that fall from the sky’ by Selja Ahava (lang: English)            

France ‘Au grand lavoir’ by Sophie Daull (lang: French)    

Germany ‘Der traurige Gast’ by Matthias Nawrat (lang: German)

Greece ‘God is my witness’ by Makis Tsitas (lang: English)

Hungary ‘Magnetyczna gora’ by Reka Man-Varhegyl (lang: Polish)

Ireland ‘The fire starters’ by Jan Carson (lang: English)     

Italy ‘E Baboucar guidava la fila’ by Giovanni Dozzini (lang: Italian)              

Latvia ‘Freedom in the nets’ by Osvalds Zebris (lang: English)        

Lithuania ‘Those whom I would like to meet again’ by Giedra Radvilaviciute (lang: English)

Luxembourg ‘Die Klasse von 77’ by Francis Kirps (lang: German)

Malta ‘Kissirtu kullimkien’ by Lara Calleja (lang: Maltese)               

Netherlands ‘The Dutch maiden’ by Marente de Moor (lang: English)        

Poland ‘Waqt’ by Wislawa Szymborska (lang: Maltese)    

Portugal ‘The shelf life of happiness’ by David Machado (lang: English)     

Romania ‘Life begins on Friday’ by Ioana Parvulescu (lang: English)

Slovakia ‘Toxo’ by Ivana Dobrakovova (lang: Slovak)         

Slovenia ‘In/Half’ by Jasmin B. Frelih (lang: English)           

Spain ‘When I sing, mountains dance’ by Irene Sola (lang: English)              

Sweden ‘The Antarctica of love’ by Sara Stridsberg (lang: English)