Vilenica International Literary Festival

The 2023 Vilenica Prize for Central European literature will go to Otto Tolnai, a Hungarian author from the Serbian province of Vojvodina. He will accept the award at the Vilenica international literary festival in September.

A poet, writer, playwright, essayist and translator, Tolnai is considered one of the most important contemporary Hungarian authors.

Veno Taufer, the acclaimed Slovenian author, translator and editor who is credited with starting the Vilenica international literary festival, has died, aged 90.

Taufer, a native of Ljubljana, was many things: a poet, playwright, essayist, literary critic, translator and editor. He chaired PEN Slovenia and PEN International's Writers for Peace committee.

Sežana – The 37th Vilenica International Literary Festival drew to a close on Saturday evening with the awarding of the Vilenica Prize to Latvian poet Amanda Aizpuriete, who was not present at the ceremony. In her thank-you speech she raised the issue of the war in Ukraine, saying thousands of soldiers, civilians and children were dying.

Štanjel – Northern Irish poet Gail McConnell has won the Vilenica Crystal, an award the Vilenica International Literary Festival bestows on one of the authors featured in the festival’s collection of poems or texts.

Ljubljana – The 37th international literary festival Vilenica is getting under way on Tuesday. Running until Sunday, again in live format, it will feature 14 authors from a dozen countries at 15 events, mostly in Ljubljana but also in the Karst area, Koper, Hrastnik and Italy’s Trieste.

Ljubljana – Latvian poet Amanda Aizpuriete is the winner of this year’s International Vilenica Prize for Central European literature, which will be given out during the 37th Vilenica International Literary Festival in Slovenia in September. The Slovenian author in the focus will be Andrej Blatnik, the festival’s organisers told the press on Tuesday.

Paris – President Borut Pahor bestowed the Golden Order of Merit, one of the highest Slovenian state decorations, on Czech-French writer Milan Kundera in Paris on Saturday. Kundera was honoured for having raised his voice for Slovenia’s independence and for his outstanding contribution to understanding turbulent times in Europe.

Ljubljana – The 36th international literary festival Vilenica is getting under way in Ljubljana on Tuesday as a mix of online an in-person events to explore the theme of fear and courage. Austrian writer Josef Winkler will be honoured with the Vilenica Prize.

Veno Taufer, Poet, Founding President

How did it all begin?