Chisinau and Iasi will host the seventh International Poetry Festival “Grigore Vieru” on May 20-23. Director of the Romanian Cultural Institute (RCI) Chisinau Valeriu Matei has told IPN that the institution he heads will support the festival for the third consecutive year and will provide the Top Prize “Grigore Vieru”, the Award for Poetry and the Award for Translation in this year’s event.
RCI Chisinau also supports the presence of writers Ovidiu Genaru and Ioan Holban and translator Kopi Kyçyku at the festival. Valeriu Matei said this event allows to promote the works of the great writer Grigore Vieru.
The festival opens in Chisinau on May 20 with laying of flowers and a poetry recital at the poet’s bust on the Classical Writers Alley in the central park of Chisinau. Afterward, the National Children’s Library “Ion Creanga” will stage the presentation of the volumes “Albinuta” (“Little Bee”) (15th edition), “The Mother” and “the Clock”.
A session of communications on the works of Grigore Vieru will be later held at the Academy of Sciences of Moldova. There will be launched a number of books by the writer. The first day will end with an Award Gala at the National Theater “Mihai Eminescu” and a performance by Nicolae Jelescu, Iurie Sadovnic, Claudia Caia and a number of bands and poets.
On May 21, the Library of the State University of Moldova will host the literary-artistic colloquium “Grigore Vieru – dialog in eternity”. A literary-artistic performance entitled “Grigore Vieru – poet of the Union” will be held later in Truseni.
On May 22 and 23, the festival will be staged in Iasi.
Grigore Vieru was born on February 14, 1935 in Pererita village of former county Hotin. On January 16, 2009, the poet was involved in a road accident near Chisinau and died 48 hours later.
