Hay Festival Global to 'cross borders' with renewed Lviv BookForum partnership

Ukrainian literature will be brought to a global audience once more in a renewed digital partnership between the Ukrainian literature festival Lviv BookForum and the charity Hay Festival Global.

Taking place 3rd to 6th October, Lviv BookForum 2024 aims to "create a civic space for a free and tolerant exchange of ideas". In the third year of Russian full-scale invasion, Lviv BookForum will give Ukrainians a platform to speak about "slavery and the post-colonial experience", activism, gender and democracy.

"This year’s event will share essential stories from across Ukraine with the world and bring global artists to join us in preserving this safe space of exchange and innovation," said Lviv BookForum director Sofia Cheliak. "We invite readers across the globe to stand with us in solidarity in showing Ukrainian authors that their voices are needed and valued more than ever."

The events will take part in person and online, featuring Ukrainian writers and literary figures in conversations around this year’s headline theme of “collective action”. As digital partner for the third year running, Hay Festival will broadcast these events online for free in English, Spanish and Ukrainian.

The full Lviv BookForum 2024 programme will be unveiled on 29th August.

“As an international charity, we reach millions of people every year through our one-of-a-kind festivals, forums, programmes and digital platforms," commented Hay Festival c.e.o. Julie Finch. "We are delighted to extend our Lviv BookForum collaboration as digital media partner of this year’s event, continuing to bring new audiences to Lviv BookForum and champion their essential work in creating an open platform for free expression.”

Since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine began in February 2022, two hybrid editions of the Lviv BookForum have taken place in partnership with Hay Festival, featuring guests like Abdulrazak Gurnah, Margaret Atwood, Yuval Noah Harari and many others.