Closer Together – Strengthening Literary Connections Across the Baltic Region

The full-scale invasion of Ukraine prompted the creation of Closer Together, a project led by six UNESCO Cities of Literature to expand cultural exchange across borders, using literature as a tool for dialogue and democratic exchange. The initiative unites Gothenburg, Lviv, Vilnius, Odessa, Kraków, and Wrocław. It focuses on building sustainable partnerships by working with existing festivals, book fairs, and literary networks rather than creating entirely new structures. Closer Together promotes translation and exchange, while also supporting projects that explore Jewish literature and cultural heritage, creating opportunities for shared learning, dialogue, and cultural preservation. Despite their geographical proximity, these cities have had limited literary collaboration. Closer Together bridges this gap, encouraging literary engagement and cooperation across the region. 

The Literary Voices of Ukraine 

During the autumn of 2025, the focus of the project was to highlight Ukraine’s literary voices and experiences. Working with Lviv and Odessa as partner cities, Closer Together aimed to show how literature can document life during war and conflict, support cultural continuity, and connect audiences with perspectives that might otherwise go unheard. It also highlights how translation and author mobility are central tools in this process, linking Ukrainian writers with regional networks and fostering broader understanding in other countries. 

Ukrainian poet and journalist Artur Dron (pictured above, with publisher Mikael Nydahl, and translator, at a reading at Gothenburg City Library) was among the first authors to participate, visiting Gothenburg in november 2025. After volunteering for military service in 2022, Artur Dron began composing poetry at and from the front lines. Born in 2000 in Voskresyntsi, western Ukraine, Dron lives in Lviv, where he studied journalism. He debuted in 2020 with the poetry collection Hurtozjytok No6 and volunteered for military service in 2022. His new volume of poems, composed at the frontline, We Were Here provides an intimate account of war, resilience, and human experience.The book was translated into Swedish by Mikael Nydahl, who also moderated the readings and discussions during Dron’s visit. 

“This is my first literary trip abroad. I have no experience presenting my book in another country, so it means a lot to do it first in Sweden, and later in Norway, where my book was first translated. I’m grateful to everyone spending an evening with us—reading poetry, discussing Ukraine, and supporting each other in these difficult times,” said Dron. 

Spotlight on Lithuania

For spring 2026, Closer Together focused on an exchange between Sweden and Lithuania, starting with Matilda’s Diary, a programme centering young Jewish-Lithuanian authors’ accounts of their experiences during Second World War. It continued with an author's exchange in which Lithuantian poet Giedrė Kazlauskaitė visited Gothenburg and the literary festival Textival to discuss miracles from the perspectives of an LGBTQI poet, living in a catholic country, and Gothenburg poet and dramatist Hanna Haag visiting a literary festival in the City of Literature Vilnius in return. The focus on lithuanian literarute is a precursor to Lithuania's upcoming role as Guest of Honour at the Gothenburg Bookfair in 2028, introducing lithiuanian literature to the Swedish readers, and the literary eco system. 

– One of the greatest strengths of being a UNESCO City of Literature is the opportunity to encounter other cities and new authors. This time, Closer Together is collaborating with the City of Literature Vilnius and Textival. A new voice and an author of the highest calibre is being introduced in Swedish for the first time,” said Olav Fumarola Unsgaard, project manager for Gothenburg City of Literature.

About Closer Together