In the framework of the month of Francophonie the Embassy of the Czech Republic in Tirana organized a debate on the topic of Kundera – A Bridge Between France and the Other Side of the Iron Curtain. Milan Kundera symbolizes both the Czech Republic and France and since his books have been translated into Albanian, he is also a well-known writer in Albania. The debate on the topic of the legacy of his works was a combination of Czech, Albanian and French perspectives. The debate was moderated by the Ambassador of the Czech Republic to Albania, Jaroslav Ludva, other participants were:

Mirela Kumbaro, former Albanian minister of culture, translator from French (from the works of M. Kundera she translated The Joke, Ignorance and Slowness)

Piro Milkani, Albanian director, writer, translator, in 1950s he studied in Czechoslovakia, later on he became Albanian Ambassador to the Czech Republic and in 2019 he was awarded the Gratias agit prize for the promotion of the Czech Republic

Alda Bardhylli, literary journalist, expert on literature and director of the National Center of Book and Reading and director of the Saras Publishing House. Thanks to her many significant authors of contemporary literature have been translated into Albanian

Kristiana Golemi, literary critic, representative of the DITURIA Publishing House which publishes works of M. Kundera

Online participants:

Prof. Petr Drulák, intellectual, political scientist, professor, former Ambassador of the Czech Republic to France, friend of Milan Kundera. In 2019 he handed the Czech citizenship over to the writer.

Saverina Pasho, translator from French (from the works of M. Kundera she translated The Unbearable Lightness of Being and The Farewell Waltz).  

 

During the debate also two messages were presented - one by Mira Meksi, Albanian translator who translated Kundera´s book Identity, and the other by Ismail Kadare, significant Albanian writer and Kundera´s friend (his message was read by Piro Milkani).

 

The whole debate in Albanian and French (simultaneously interpreted by Blerta Hyska) can be found on our Facebook page.