Designated as a Creative City of Literature in 2015, Ulyanovsk (Russia) celebrates its fifth anniversary as a UNESCO Creative City. At this occasion, echoing the celebration of the Year of the Book in the region, the city initiated a new project titled “The International Literary Ice Rink”.

The project aimed to further strengthen literature in urban spaces and reaffirm its unifying role during these trying times. Authors and poets from all over the world were invited to record themselves reading poems in their native language and share it with the city. Building on inter-city collaboration, the project attracted a wide range of participants, including from the Creative Cities of Literature of Baghdad (Iraq), Dublin (Ireland), Heidelberg (Germany), Manchester (United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland), Milan (Italy), Nanjing (China), Québec (Canada), Reykjavik (Iceland) and Wonju (Republic of Korea).

The city broadcasted these poems on its main square as well as in four different ice rinks around the city, in both original language and in Russian, from 5 to 10 January, 2021. While listening to and enjoying foreign poetry, local inhabitants were also invited to learn more on the participating authors and poets, through informative videos. An audio clip compiling voices of all the project participants is also foreseen and will be published on the city’s dedicated YouTube channel.