Foreign missions take part in the Frankfurt project

The Norwegian foreign missions are helping the Frankfurt project cross national borders. In the period leading up to the Book Fair in Frankfurt in October 2019, the Norwegian embassies abroad are organizing a number of activities as a part of the large-scale cultural initiative.

«The project Norway as Guest of Honour at the Book Fair in Frankfurt 2019 is a good opportunity for foreign missions to put Norwegian literature on the international agenda,» says Ambassador of Norway to Italy, Margit F. Tveiten.

Norwegian literature in Rome
Saturday, December 9, the project manager of the Frankfurt project, Halldór Guðmundsson, was in Rome to take part in literary activities under the direction of the Norwegian Embassy in Rome.

The author Levi Henriksen was part of the programme during the book fair Più Libri Più Liberi (also known as Rome Book Fair). Henriksen had a conversation on stage with author Federico Guglielmi about Henriksen’s book Harpesang. The book was recently published in Italian translation by Giovanna Paterniti with the title Norwegian Blues. The book was published in Italian translation by the publisher Iperborea. The event was a collaboration between Iperborea, the Norwegian embassy in Rome, NORLA and Più Libri Più Liberi.

On the evening of the same day, Norway’s Ambassador to Italy, Margit F. Tveiten, extended an invitation to an evening of literature at the residence. Together with author Levi Henriksen, Emilia Lodigiani and Pietro Biancardi from the publisher Iperborea, the project manager of the Frankfurt project Halldór Guðmundsson was guest of honour for the evening.

The Foreign Service Missions’ involvement
«The conversation between Levi Henriksen and Federico Guglielmi at Più Libri Più Liberi and the literature evening at the residence in Rome were wonderful literary experiences. At NORLA we greatly appreciate the Norwegian foreign missions’ involvement in the Frankfurt project and are looking forward to the upcoming activities,» says Guðmundsson.

The Norwegian Embassy in Rome has plans for more activities in conjunction with the Frankfurt project.

«Norwegian and Nordic literature are well-established in Italy, with a number of Italian translations of older and contemporary Norwegian literature. Now we have the chance to bring these works out to more readers. The event at the book fair Più Libri Più Liberi and the literature evening at the residence were two of a number of initiatives carried out by the Embassy in Rome as part of the Frankfurt project,» says Ambassador Margit F. Tveiten.