Struga, 21 August 2024 (MIA) - Everything is prepared for the opening of the 63rd edition of the "Struga Poetry Evenings" that will be held August 22-25 in Struga, festival director Todorche Tasevski told MIA on Wednesday.

The festival begins at noon with the planting of a tree sapling at the Poetry Park in honor of the 2024 Golden Wreath winner, French poet and playwright Jean-Pierre Siméon. The opening ceremony will be held at the "Miladinov Brothers" culture center with a reading of Konstantin Miladinov's poem “Longing for the South” and the lighting of the festival fire, and will continue with traditional poetry reading "Meridians."

Tasevski announced a specially prepared scenography, which highlights the stage’s potential by connecting the main stage with the summer stage.

In addition to the laureate, "Brothers Miladinovci" winner, Macedonian poet and literary critic Katica Kjulavkova, "Struga Bridges" winner and German poet Katrin Pitz, as well as poets Bengt Berg from Sweden, Anna Hoffman from Germany, Gökçenur Çelebioğlu from Turkey, Galsansukh Dejidmaa from Mongolia, etc. will also read their poems.

This year's motto "Touch of Beauty" pays tribute to the invention of the Braille, whose codification almost 200 years ago, allowed bling people to enter the world of books and language, and feel the beauty of poetry.

The festival program includes international poetry readings, and portraits of the "Miladinov Brothers", "Struga Bridges" and "Young Struga" award winners, and a traditional portrait of the laureate, at the St. Sofia Church in Ohrid.

Five Macedonian poets are also included in the program, including observances of the 90th anniversary from the birth of Macedonian poet Petre M. Andreevski, 95 years from the birth of Macedonian poet Gane Todorovski and Mateja Matevski, as well as a coffee event with selected poets from the Versopolis platform. An exhibition of Litov Namdag Janchivin, Honorary Consul of Mongolia, will also be opened to mark 30 years of diplomatic relations.

The festival is set to close on Sunday with the “Bridges” ceremony on the Poetry Bridge, international poetry reading and presentation of the “Golden Wreath”, “Miladinov Brothers” and “Bridges of Struga” awards to this year's laureates Jean-Pierre Siméon, Katrin Pitz, Katica Kjulafkova, and Filipa Sara Popova. ssh/ik/

MIA file photo