Dialogue between Ukrainian and Polish researchers of Joseph Conrad’s works

Under the patronage of the European Parliament and its president Martin Schulz, on 25 June 2016, there was held Lviv Session of the 6th International Conference “Following Conrad’s” co-organized by the Department of World Literature of the Faculty of Foreign Languages of Lviv University as well as Maria Curie-Skłodowska University (Lublin, Poland).

The academic dialogue brought together reseacrhers and literary critics from around the world who study the works of the famous British writer of the Polish origin Joseph Conrad. The session in Lviv was attended by researchers from France, Italy, Germany, Poland, Ukraine, Turkey and the United States.

During the opening session, Professor Yaroslav Harasym (Vice-rector of Lviv University) highlighted Joseph Conrad as a unique figure of classic English literature, whose works serve as a model of communication between peoples and cultures.

He was a Pole by birth but born in Ukraine, and at the end of his life he wrote that he “properly honored his country, having earned recognition and proved the British that the nobleman from Ukraine would find what to say in their language”.

The Consul of General Consulate of Poland in Lviv Włodzimierz Sulgostowski said that this session of the 6th International Conference dedicated to Joseph Conrad; facilitates the deepening of intercultural dialogue between Ukraine and Poland, as the work of this writer creates unique, single and open European space.

The Deputy Dean for International Cooperation of the Faculty of Foreign Languages, Olha Ivashchyshyn, welcomed the guests and participants of the session on behalf of the Faculty, spoke about the main achievements and international relations of the faculty and focused her attention on the importance of the conferences that promote experience sharing and professional development. Olha Ivashchyshyn wished the participants of the session interesting presentations and lively discussions.

The coordinator of the conference, Professor of the university of Maria Curie-Sklodowska Wiesław Kraika said that holding in Ukraine an International conference on Joseph Conrad is a long-cherished dream of Polish scientists to create a single Polish-Ukrainian literary space. According to him, this is particularly important because Joseph Conrad, who was born not far from Berdychiv, studied in Lviv. He became a classic of British literature, one of the greatest writers of the late 19th – early 20th century.

The Congratulatory Address of the President of the European Parliament Martin Schulz addressed to the participants of the 6th International Conference dedicated to Joseph Conrad was delivered by Professor Wiesław Kraika. In his letter Martin Schulz stressed the exclusive role of Joseph Conrad in the history of the European and world literature, and expressed confidence that the initiated scientific dialogue will serve as the development of common European values and deeper sense of belonging to the united Europe.

Speeches were delivered during the session by such teachers of the Department of World Literature of the Faculty of Foreign Languages at Lviv University as Olha Bandrovska, Iryna Senchuk, Victoria Yaremchuk, they also discussed current issues of contemporary literature and “Conrad studies”, mainly about the figure of other civilization in Joseph Conrad’s prose, image dimensions of his short prose, specific cinematic adaptations of writer’s novels.

During the meeting the Polish scholar Lilia Omelian delivered her presentation “Joseph Conrad’s Lviv”. The researcher told the little-known facts from the writer’s biography which in particular concern his stay and study in Lviv.

At the end of the event Professor Wiesław Kraika hoped for further cooperation of Polish and Ukrainian scholars, literary critics, which proved fruitful session held.

It’s worth mentioning that the 6th International Conference “Following Conrad” was held during 20-28 June 2016 on the basis of Maria Curie-Skłodowska University in Lublin, Lviv University and the Ivan Franko State University of Zhytomyr.