NARRATING THE HORROR:   HÉCTOR ABAD IN CONVERSATION WITH IRENA TARANYUK

The Instituto Cervantes is the official Spanish language and culture centre created by the Spanish government in 1991. The Instituto's mission is to spread the knowledge and appreciation of the Spanish universe by enabling people to engage with the language and culture of Spanish-speaking countriesworldwide. The Instituto Cervantes is the official place to learn Spanish in London.

Instituto Cervantes - London

A tribute to Ukrainian writer Victoria Amelina

Instituto Cervantes London

El periodista y escritor colombiano, Héctor Abad, autor entre otros de “El Olvido que seremos”, acaba de publicar en español su obra “Ahora y en la hora” en la que narra su experiencia personal en un contexto de violencia: la guerra de Ucrania.El Instituto Cervantes de Londres ha organizado una charla de Abad con la periodista y presentadora ucraniana de la BBC World Service, Irena Taranyuk quien es además productora multimedia, e intérprete (ucraniano, ruso y polaco) con amplia experiencia en diversas plataformas.Abad hablará con Taranyuk sobre los temas que han generado lo mejor de su literatura: los efectos devastadores de la violencia y la guerra; la indignación por la muerte de los inocentes; la culpa y el estupor de quien no ha caído, y su inapelable impulso de contar lo presenciado y reflexionar sobre la extraña y azarosa experiencia de sobrevivir una vez más. Héctor Abad y su relación con UcraniaA mediados de 2023, apenas recuperado de una cirugía a corazón abierto, Héctor Abad Faciolince aceptó la invitación a una feria del libro en Ucrania. El viaje libresco, sin embargo, se convirtió en algo más: explorar los horrores de la invasión rusa en la región del Donetsk, cerca del frente de batalla, junto a otras cuatro personas. El último día, para despedirse, el grupo de viajeros se dispuso a cenar en una pizzería de Kramatorsk. Allí, «como del rayo», padecieron un hecho que los transformaría para siempre: un misil ruso, con seiscientos kilos de explosivos, cayó sobre el centro mismo del lugar, dejando en el acto trece personas muertas y más de sesenta heridos. Una de las víctimas fatales fue la joven escritora ucraniana Victoria Amélina, guía y compañera de ese viaje testimonial que terminó en tragedia. Irena TaranyukEs periodista y locutora con más de 20 años de experiencia en BBC World Service, apasionada por hacer que las historias globales sean accesibles y atractivas para la audiencia ucraniana. Se enorgullece de explicar Ucrania a la audiencia global en World Service Radio y mostrar la universalidad de la experiencia humana. Cuando no está en el estudio de televisión o persiguiendo una historia, es probable que la encuentres bailando tango argentino, donde le gusta reconectarse con la expresión personal sin palabras. Sobre el ciclo del Instituto Cervantes Narrar el HorrorCiclo descentralizado de actividades sobre Literatura y Terrorismo, en las que participan autores españoles e hispanoamericanos, periodistas, cineastas, asociaciones de víctimas y representantes institucionales en un formato de jornada o de mesa redonda.Evento organizado en colaboración con la Embajada de Colombia en Reino Unido y con la Embajada de Ukrania en Reino Unido. *Colombian journalist and writer Héctor Abad, author of El Olvido que seremos (The Oblivion We Will Be), among other works, has just published his book Ahora y en la hora (Now and in the Hour) in Spanish, in which he recounts his personal experience in a context of violence: the war in Ukraine.Instituto Cervantes London has organised a talk with Abad and Ukrainian journalist and BBC World Service presenter Irena Taranyuk, who is also a multimedia producer and interpreter (Ukrainian, Russian and Polish) with extensive experience on various platforms.Abad will talk to Taranyuk about the themes that have inspired the best of his literature: the devastating effects of violence and war; the outrage at the death of innocent people; the guilt and stupor of those who have not fallen; and his unstoppable urge to recount what he has witnessed and reflect on the strange and random experience of surviving once again. Héctor Abad and his relationship with UkraineIn mid-2023, having barely recovered from open-heart surgery, Héctor Abad Faciolince accepted an invitation to a book fair in Ukraine. The bookish trip, however, turned into something more: exploring the horrors of the Russian invasion in the Donetsk region, near the front line, alongside four other people. On the last day, to say goodbye, the group of travellers went to dinner at a pizzeria in Kramatorsk. There, "like a bolt from the blue", they suffered an event that would change them forever: a Russian missile, carrying 600kg of explosives, fell on the very centre of the place, killing 13 people and injuring more than 60. One of the fatalities was the young Ukrainian writer Victoria Amélina, guide and companion on that testimonial trip that ended in tragedy.Irena Taranyuk is a journalist and broadcaster with over 20 years at the BBC World Service, passionate about making global stories accessible and engaging for Ukrainian audiences. She takes pride in explaining Ukraine to a global audience on World Service Radio and showing universality of human experience. When she’s not in the TV studio or chasing a story, you’ll likely find her dancing Argentine tango — where she likes to reconnect with self-expression without words.About Instituto Cervantes's Narrating Horror seriesThe Narrating the Horror series is a programme of activities on literature and terrorism, featuring Spanish and Latin American authors, journalists, filmmakers, victims' associations and institutional representatives in a conference or round table format. Event organised in collaboration with the Colombian Embassy in the UK and the Ukranian Embassy in the UK.

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NARRATING THE HORROR: HÉCTOR ABAD IN CONVERSATION WITH IRENA TARANYUK

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