On 8 December 2025, the National Library of the Republic of Moldova, in partnership with Știința Publishing House, organised the literary and cultural event “The Road of Life…”: A Dialogue with Ana Blandiana. Dedicated to European Authors Day, the event featured the poet Ana Blandiana (Romania) as the guest of honour—one of the most significant voices in contemporary Romanian and European literature.
Held in the “Mihai Eminescu” Hall of the National Library of the Republic of Moldova, the event brought together a large and diverse audience, including readers, pupils, students, teachers, and cultural figures, all eager to engage in direct dialogue with the author. The discussion was moderated by Dr Iulian Filip—poet, writer, playwright, folklorist, and Master of Arts—who guided a thoughtful exploration of the biographical and artistic journey of Ana Blandiana, the condition of writer in contemporary society, and the fundamental values of European culture.
During the dialogue, Ana Blandiana addressed essential themes related to the moral responsibility of literary creation, the role of cultural memory, and the importance of reading as a form of identity-building and spiritual resistance. Her reflections were met with great interest and emotion by the audience, generating a lively exchange of ideas and questions.
The event concluded with an autograph session, offering participants the opportunity to interact directly with the author and have signed copies of Occurrences with Arpagic and Dance in the Rain, published by Știința Publishing House in 2024 and 2025.
In addition, a documentary exhibition entitled “Ana Blandiana from the collections of the National Library of the Republic of Moldova” was launched. The exhibition comprised 60 publications published throughout the author’s lifetime—from 1966 to the present—held in the collections of the National Library of the Republic of Moldova.
The event was part of the European project European Authors Day, an initiative launched by the European Commission within the Creative Europe Programme. The National Library of the Republic of Moldova participates in this project at the invitation of the National Library of Poland, alongside institutions from over 34 European countries. The project runs for three years and is carried out under the motto “Read. For Real!”, affirming the vital importance of reading in contemporary life of Europe. During the next years of the project, the National Library of the Republic of Moldova will invite an European author per year to organize a literary and cultural event on its premises.
The project benefits authors, illustrators, translators, librarians, teachers, parents, and the general public, creating valuable opportunities to engage with European writers, to publish and present their books in translations in different countries.
Links:
Video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yjMk75vg8Vs
Autors: Veronica Bors, Elina Bolgarina
Translated by: Mariana Kiriakov