Evening with historian and writer Timothy Snyder and poet Tomas Venclova

SUNDAY, 10 NOVEMBER - 7.00 PM
Prof. Timothy Snyder and Prof. Tomas Venclova in conversation with cultural historian Dr Aurimas Švedas
Vilnius University, Main Campus, Aula Parva (Universiteto g. 3, Vilnius)
Ticket distributor “Tiketa”
Duration 105 min

Tomas Venclova
Tomas Venclova is an internationally recognised Lithuanian poet, essayist, intellectual, publicist and literary critic, PhD, Emeritus Professor of Yale University, Doctor Honoris Causa of several prominent world universities, a dissident and a citizen of the world: was a member of the dissident organisation, Lithuanian Helsinki Group, in 1975–1983, received political asylum in the USA in 1977.

Exile is one of the motifs that permeate the works by Tomas Venclova. Tomas Venclova believes that personal freedom is the highest value; he gives his opinions publicly, often makes controversial, non-conformist statements that encourage reflection; he has given his opinion on relations between Lithuanians and Poles, between Lithuanians and Jews, and on remembrance of ambiguous historical personalities. In 2018 “Lietuvos istorija visiems” [Lithuanian History for All] Volume I was released where he tells the history of Lithuania in a particular, lively, argumentative and impartial way. Volume II will be published soon.

Tomas Venclova has received many Lithuanian and foreign awards: the Lithuanian National Prize for Culture and Arts, Vilenica International Literary Prize (Slovenia), Baltic Star (Saint Petersburg), New Culture of New Europe Prize (Poland), was decorated with the Commander’s Cross of the Order of the Lithuanian Grand Duke Gediminas, etc. Tomas Venclova got the Person of Tolerance of the Year Award in 2010 for his active civic engagement.

Tomas Venclova has been translated into over a dozen languages, including Arab and Japanese.