PEN Belarus, Swedish PEN, and Danish PEN invite Belarusian poets and translators to take part in the international project verse X change — an initiative that brings together literature, translation, and freedom of expression, even in an unfree world.
Who are we looking for?
Those who live and breathe poetry and language: poet-translators ready for a creative dialogue with colleagues from Denmark and Sweden; curious and talented writers who seek to introduce international colleagues to contemporary Belarusian culture, literature, and reality.
Preference will be given to poets who work with translation, but we will also consider candidates who translate poetry without writing their own poems, as well as poets without significant prior experience in translation.
verse X change is not only an opportunity to develop one’s skills, but above all a chance to build intercultural connections and unite creative communities. Participants will be able to learn more about the cultures of Denmark and Sweden, meet local poets and translators, and share Belarusian culture, language, and the experience of creating under conditions of repression and exile.
Literature will become a bridge between people and countries, an opportunity for mutual enrichment through dialogue and creativity, while the written word will serve as a space of freedom.
What awaits you within the project:
5 people will travel to Denmark
(preliminary travel dates: 19–20 March 2026)
5 people will travel to Sweden
(preliminary travel dates: 8–9 April 2026)
In each country, two-day creative workshops with local experts will take place: translation sessions, discussions, and exchanges of experience. The organisers will cover flights from one of the EU countries, accommodation, and meals during the workshops. Visa support is not provided.
Each visit will conclude with a public literary event — readings and a presentation of the translation results.
The project also includes a series of 6–8 online sessions, participation in which is mandatory. These sessions will focus on translation practice, building connections between young writers and translators from Sweden, Denmark, and Belarus, as well as between PEN centres.
Language requirements
Fluency in English at a level sufficient for communication during meetings and creative workshops is mandatory. Knowledge of Swedish or Danish is not required but may be considered an additional advantage.
Public visibility
Participants must be ready to take part in public activities: readings, appearances, photo sessions, as well as the publication of translations in anthologies and online magazines.
Would you like to join this literary journey?
To participate, please complete the application form by 9 December 2025, indicating the contacts of 1–2 people from the Belarusian literary community who can confirm your competencies and, if necessary, provide a recommendation. This is required solely to verify the information and ensure the safety of participants.
Selection procedure
The submitted applications and translations will be reviewed and assessed by an invited expert in literary translation, as well as by representatives of the organisers. The selection process will take into account the applicant’s motivation and background, as well as the quality of the translations submitted with the application. If necessary, we will contact candidates additionally to clarify information.
We deliberately do not set strict age limits — what matters most is not the age in one’s passport, but the desire to create, translate, and engage as equals with colleagues from Denmark and Sweden. Above all, we want to give young but not yet widely known poet-translators an opportunity to be heard.
Mentors
Expert in literary translation (online sessions):
Andrei Khadanovich — Belarusian poet, translator, laureate of several awards, and author of around twenty books of poetry. His poems and essays have been translated into many languages; he himself translates from English, French, Polish, Russian, and Ukrainian.
Mentor in Sweden:
Mikael Nydahl — born in 1973 in Malmö, Sweden.
Literary translator from Ukrainian, Belarusian, and Russian; publisher and editor at Ariel Publishing House.
Mentor in Denmark:
Tine Roesen — Danish scholar and associate professor at the University of Copenhagen, Denmark, specialising in Belarusian and Russian literature.
Please send questions to verse@penbelarus.org