Ukraine’s voice resonated at the Center for Openness and Dialogue (COD) through literature, memory and humor. The center hosted Ukrainian writer Andrey Kurkov, one of the country’s best-known contemporary authors.

Kurkov is visiting Albania for the first time.

The discussion focused on his novel “Jimmy Hendrix Live in Lviv.” The book was a candidate for the prestigious International Booker Prize. It tells the story of Lviv several years after the collapse of the Soviet Union.

Through its characters and their stories, Kurkov presents a realistic and humorous portrait of a city with a distinctive cultural and linguistic identity.

Minister of Tourism, Culture and Sports Blendi Gonxhja also attended the meeting. Kurkov shared stories from Lviv and everyday life in Ukraine. He also discussed the role of literature during times of crisis and war.

“A writer’s responsibility becomes 100 times more visible and more important during times of crisis, especially during wars,” Kurkov said.

The Guardian described the novel as “a love letter to Lviv, the cultural and linguistic city of Ukraine.” The book uses humor and human stories to portray a turbulent period in the country’s history.

In this way, literature helps preserve memory and identity. It also keeps alive the voice of ordinary people.

Andrey Kurkov has written 19 novels. Readers have translated his works into many languages and read them around the world.

In Albania, translator Bujar Hudhri and Onufri publishing house have brought Kurkov’s work to Albanian readers.

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