Last Friday, a group of citizens had the opportunity to take part in the LiteraTour by Tram project. Readings of works by authors from UNESCO cities of literature around the world were arranged along the tram route and during the stations.

The idea of ​​the project was to acquaint the inhabitants of Ulyanovsk with literary works from different parts of the world and draw attention to the work of contemporary authors from the literary cities of UNESCO.

In total, 7 excerpts from various works were used - the novels "Diamond Square" (author - Merce Rodored, Barcelona, ​​Spain), "The Forgotten Waltz" (author - Ann Enright, Dublin, Ireland), "The Chocholy" (author - Wit Szostak, Krakow, Poland) and The Beginning of the Road (by Alan Sillitow, Nottingham, UK), the Slovenian folk story Martin Krpan (by Fran Levstik, Ljubljana, Slovenia), the heroic saga The Independent People (by Halldor Laxness, Reykjavik, Iceland), as well as poems by Sadeq Mohammed, director of the Baghdad - UNESCO City of Literature program, who personally read them in English.

It is worth noting that the trip around the city took place on two trams at once, which was due to the large number of people who wanted to make LiteraTour and made it possible to attract more people to the project - in total, about 80 residents and guests of the city took part in the action.

“We are trying to hold events of a new format in the city, to come up with something that the residents have not yet seen here, since we are obliged to do so by the status of the “UNESCO City of Literature”, which Ulyanovsk received six months ago. And it is very pleasant that such events find a positive response among citizens of all ages,” comments Elena Toporkova, head of the Department of Culture and Leisure for the Population of the Ulyanovsk city administration, who also acted as one of the readers of the literary tram.

The works were also read by local actors, writers, translators, radio hosts, artists and just active citizens. The stations of the literary tram were the courtyard of the Lumiere cinema, the gazebo near the Museum of Photography, the stop of the old railway station and the roundabout at the exit from the southern part of the city. The journey ended in the first hour of the night, after which the tram returned to the depot, and the residents went home, charged with creative inspiration.

The LiteraTour by Tram project was implemented as part of the Ulyanovsk - UNESCO City of Literature program in conjunction with the Department of Culture and Leisure for the Population of the Ulyanovsk City Administration and with the support of MUP Ulyanovskelectrotrans.