Second edition of the European Literature Festival in Tiranë
In Tirana, the European Literature Festival (FELT) returns for a second edition to celebrate European culture in Albania.
FELT 2025 brings 12 authors, who represent 13 EU member states and will take place on 2–6 December 2025.
Organised by the European Union in Albania, in partnership with the Italian Cultural Institute and in cooperation with the embassies of EU member states, it brings together renowned writers from Ireland, Austria, Germany, Slovenia, Spain, the Netherlands, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Bulgaria, Greece, France, Italy and Poland, who will connect with Albanian readers and visit high schools and universities.
With the aim of highlighting the diversity of European voices, promoting contemporary literature and engaging the Albanian public with authors and creators from across Europe, the festival offers a platform for dialogue, understanding and storytelling through dynamic formats.
At the opening ceremony of the festival, during an inspiring evening at the National Theatre of Opera, Ballet and Folk Ensemble, the beginning of five days of European literature, talks, workshops and school activities throughout the city was marked.
“The European Literature Festival in Tirana is about creating spaces, arches and bridges that bring people together through stories. In partnership with the embassies of EU member states and the Italian Cultural Institute, we are presenting a dozen contemporary European writers – some of whom have also been translated into Albanian. We want this festival to be an opportunity for conversations, exploration and connection, where authors, their translators and readers meet to explore today’s world and its challenges through the power of literature,” said the EU Ambassador to Albania, Silvio Gonzato.
“The Italian Cultural Institute is pleased to collaborate again on an initiative that brings to Tirana the voices of European writers who embody the best values such as cultural diversity, multilingualism, the creative richness of European culture and share them with the Albanian public,” said the director of the Italian Cultural Institute, Alessandro Ruggera.
The opening event was attended by the writer Maja Haderlap, who spoke about language, identity and memory, together with her Albanian translator Blerta Lazebeu. Moderated by Ana Kove, the discussion highlighted how literature and translation carry personal stories and the shared history of Europe across cultures.
FELT will take place in several locations, from the House of Europe to the National Theatre of Opera and Ballet and Folk Ensemble in Tirana, Vila 31 x Art Explora, the National Library “Sotir Kolea”, the Culture Centre “Tulla”, the “Babel” Library and the National Puppet Theatre, creating spaces for discussions and conversations, as well as facilitating the access of new authors to different intergenerational and specific audiences.
The festival offers opportunities to explore ideas, genres, stories and concepts, serving as a forum for meaningful dialogue, as well as inviting participants to become acquainted with rich literary traditions and gain deeper insights into contemporary societies.
As literature nourishes the architecture of thought, developing our imagination and building awareness, the European writers who join FELT through their literary works and dialogues explore a diverse range of themes.
Among them are multilingual writing and belonging, writing in a minority language, identity, migration in contemporary literature and European cultural memory, mental health issues, the role of the family in the life and career of writers, the challenges faced by young writers, social challenges such as artificial intelligence, war and conflict, literature in transition, themes of displacement, growth and resilience.
The reading sessions from the works of Maja Haderlap, Begoña Oro, Michał Rusinek, Barbara Stock (The Book of Vinsent), Přemysl Vinš on the work of Karel Čapek, Djamel Ëhite – Fighting Ëords, Milena Selimi, Ena Katarina Haler, Christos Kythreotis, Nadia Terranova, Dario Voltolini and Philippe Collin reveal the multicoloured literary landscapes of European authors.
The programme includes daily engagements in schools and evening talks open to the public, as well as contemporary artistic performances, workshops on creative writing and experimental collaborations that combine spoken word and music on the theme of literary memory.
The festival reflects the linguistic, cultural and thematic diversity of European literature. FELT invites participants to explore the transformative impact of reading and storytelling in shaping a more interconnected and more empathetic Europe. (3 December)
