{"id":421,"date":"2026-04-23T17:06:31","date_gmt":"2026-04-23T15:06:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.balticwriterscouncil.info\/?p=421"},"modified":"2026-04-23T17:06:31","modified_gmt":"2026-04-23T15:06:31","slug":"baltic-writers-council-bwc-general-assembly-2025","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.balticwriterscouncil.info\/?p=421","title":{"rendered":"Baltic Writers Council (BWC), General Assembly 2025"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Time and place: 25\u201326 April 2025<\/strong>, Baltic Centre for Writers and Translators, Uddens gr\u00e4nd 3, 621 56 Visby, Sweden.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The following representatives of the 14 member organisations from 8 countries were present (altogether 19 persons): Swedish Writers\u2019 Union (Anna-S\u00e4flund Orstadius),  The Union of Finnish Writers (Ville Hyt\u00f6nen, Alexandra Salmela), Society of Swedish Authors in Finland (Malin Kivel\u00e4, Johanna Sandberg), The Finnish Association of Translators and Interpreters (Laura Pascual), Lithuanian Writers\u2019 Union (Marius Burokas), Lithuanian Association of Literary translators (Markus Roduner) Estonian Writers\u2019 Union (Maarja Kangro, Piret Viires, \u00d8yvind Rang\u00f8y),  Latvian Writers\u2019 Union (Mudite Treimane),  The International Union of Belarusian Writers (Alena Makouskaya, Nina Shydlouskaya), The Norwegian Association of Literary Translators (Hilde Lyng), Norwegian Authors\u2019 Union (Hanne Ramsdal), The Norvegian Society of Authors (Vibeke Koehler), Norwegian Writers for Children (Sanne Mathiassen), Polish Association of Literary Translators (Daniel Lubi\u0144ski). Lena Pasternak was representing the Baltic Centre for Writers and Translators. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Agenda of the Meeting<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Friday, April 25th 2025<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

12.00\u201316.00 General Assembly<\/p>\n\n\n\n

* Opening of the General Assembly. Short presentation of all participants<\/p>\n\n\n\n

* Approval of the agenda<\/p>\n\n\n\n

* Election of a chairperson and secretary of the GA<\/p>\n\n\n\n

* Activity report by Malin Kivel\u00e4, chair of BWC<\/p>\n\n\n\n

* Membership questions. Membership fee for the following year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

13.30-14.00 Coffee break <\/p>\n\n\n\n

* BCWT (Baltic Centre for Writers and Translators) news and retrospectives by Lena Pasternak, director<\/p>\n\n\n\n

* Reports from member organisations <\/p>\n\n\n\n

16.30 \u2013 17.30 Early dinner <\/p>\n\n\n\n

18.00 Br\u00e4nnande uttryck i S\u00e1pmi \u2013 Burning expressions in S\u00e1pmi starts!<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Finnish media artist Marja Viitahuhtas art videos for the S\u00e1pmi musician \u00c1nn\u00e1m\u00e1ret + the film Sameblod by Amanda Kernell, Folkets bio (Adelsgatan 39, Visby).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

21.00 Night by the fire, shared stories about burning issues, with \u00c1nde Somby<\/p>\n\n\n\n

(Troms\u00f8) \u2013 storyteller, musician, lawyer (we will meet at the centre at 21.00).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Saturday, April 26th 2025<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

10.00\u201314.00 General Assembly<\/p>\n\n\n\n

* Reports from member organisations <\/p>\n\n\n\n

* Treasurer\u2019s report by Anna-S\u00e4flund Orstadius, treasurer of BWC<\/p>\n\n\n\n

* Auditor\u2019s report by Johanna Sandberg, auditor of BWC<\/p>\n\n\n\n

* Approval of the 2024 finances of BWC and the budget for 2025<\/p>\n\n\n\n

* Election of the auditor<\/p>\n\n\n\n

* Plans for next year<\/p>\n\n\n\n

* Date of next GA<\/p>\n\n\n\n

* Other issues<\/p>\n\n\n\n

* Closing of GA 2025<\/p>\n\n\n\n

14.00 -15.00 Lunch at Gotlands museum.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

16.00 Br\u00e4nnande uttryck i S\u00e1pmi \u2013 Burning expressions in S\u00e1pmi <\/em>continuesat Almedalen library (Cram\u00e9rgatan 5, Visby)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

16.00\u201316.50 S\u00e1pmi children\u2019s author Anna Nuutti Wiandt and translator Are Tjihkkom discuss S\u00e1pmi literature now and before as well as translations into small languages led by Sofia Ahlberg and Suzanne Ericson from Uppsala University<\/p>\n\n\n\n

17.00\u201317.50 Challenges and possibilities concerning life and art in S\u00e1pmi today with poet, queer activist Timimie M\u00e4rak and activist, writer, musician Petra Laiti. Led by \u00c1nde Somby<\/p>\n\n\n\n

18.30 Readings by Timimie M\u00e4rak, Petra Laiti, Are Tjihkkom, Anna Nuutti Wiandt<\/p>\n\n\n\n

19.30 Concert \u00c1nde Somby & DJ Petra Laiti<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dinner. After the programme at the Centre<\/p>\n\n\n\n

MINUTES FOR THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

1.<\/strong> The chairperson of BWC Malin Kivel\u00e4 opened the meeting<\/strong> at 12:00 on Friday, April 25th<\/sup> 2025 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The participants of the meeting shortly presented themselves. Lena Pasternak, the director of BCWT greeted the guests.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

2.<\/strong> The Agenda<\/strong> of the meeting was approved<\/strong> by the Assembly. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

3.<\/strong> BWC chairperson Malin Kivel\u00e4<\/strong> was elected chairperson for the meeting and Piret Viires <\/strong>was elected secretary for the meeting.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

4.<\/strong> The Chairperson of the BWC Malin Kivel\u00e4<\/strong> presented the activity report for BWC <\/strong>for the year of 2024-2025<\/strong>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Activity report 2024<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The previous General Assembly was arranged in Visby about a year ago, in the beginning of May 2024. Then 18 persons from 11 member organisations and 7 countries were present.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Today representatives of 14 member organizations from 8 countries, altogether 19 persons and Lena Pasternak are here.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Last year, in addition to the GA, we organized an event called The Death of Literature. It didn\u2019t really turn out as planned, because most of the working group left, or didn\u2019t turn up, and we had to improvise in the end.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But at last we had a group work session about different topics concerning the theme at the library here at the centre which turned out to be quite exciting. We also had a relaxed public reading (I think one external listener came!) and it was a success! It is so interesting to hear what our writing members are working with. We planned to do the reading every year, and I still support that. But this year there won\u2019t be any, because of our quite ambitious project that will start tonight, our S\u00e1pmi event Br\u00e4nnande uttryck i S\u00e1pmi, Burning Expressions of S\u00e1pmi, presenting different aspects of what\u2019s going on in the S\u00e1pmi region right now.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s been a ride. The working group consisting of Carina Karlsson, Laura Pascual, \u00d8yvind Rang\u00f8y & myself have worked throughout the year on this. In Finland we have a phrase called Management by perkele. And our work with this has been a case in point of this method. On top of all the crisis of the art field unfortunately became reality as we didn\u2019t get any of the official funding we applied for. Thank god for Finlands svenska f\u00f6rfattaref\u00f6rening, Norsk oversatterforening and of course BWC and BCWT, Lena Pasternak, Patrik Muskos, the Almedalen library and the cinema Folkets bio and the S\u00e1pmi consulting done by \u00c1nde Somby.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You have got the program in an email and it\u2019s also visible on the webpage balticwriterscouncil.info. The point of this organisation and these gatherings is to keep informed of, engaged in, inspired by, what is going on in the countries of the member organisations: the challenges, the good and bad news for the writers and the translators of our countries. We form a unique collegial, international, but still geographically intimate, support group for each other. The core of the GAs are the country reports, which we will start taking part of soon. We all make up this organisation and without all of us it wouldn\u2019t exist. Let\u2019s enjoy each other\u2019s stories, and company, and beautiful Visby, starting to bloom, this weekend, and continue our important and special work together.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The GA approved<\/strong> the report.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \n
  1. Membership questions.<\/strong>\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

    The GA decided that the membership fee<\/strong> for the following year 2026 will be 200 EUR <\/strong>or 300 <\/strong>EUR. The members who are ready to pay higher fee will notice Piret. The GA also decided that the Ukrainian Association of Translators and Interpreters is waived to pay the membership fee for the year 2025.  Daniel promised to contact Polish Writers\u2019 Union and Ville will ask Danish Writers Union if they want to be members.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Coffee break.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    6.  BCWT news by Lena Pasternak, director of BCWT.<\/strong>  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Lena Pasternak, director of BCWT, gave an overview of the situation in the centre during last year. The BCWT is an international centre, started in 1993, has 11 rooms, priority is on Baltic sea region and Scandinavia, but also other countries.  Establishing of the BCWT was the result of the writers\u2019 Baltic Sea cruise. They saw the island and decided the house would be here. It was a special period of Europa and Baltic sea, opposite to today, everything was opening up. The core activities is residencies, members of different organisations are coming. 160 residencies, 22 countries, 80% from Baltic sea region, but are from other countries. What is special in this Centre, everyone has time for writing and meeting colleagues. The atmosphere is \u2013 this is your house.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    BCWT participates in international networks, lot of cooperation going on. In 2024 \u2013 cooperation with Latvian, Estonian, Lithuanian embassies \u2013 marking the 80 years of the big escape in the Baltics. Other events, seminars, readings, school visits, lot of cooperation.  BCWT is also part of the network Recit \u2013 international network for translators and writers houses.  BCWT is financed by Swedish Art Council 80% and 20% region Gotland, house is owned by Gotland region, centre pays rent.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Lena introduced also the logistics of this weekend.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    7.  Reports from member organisations<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    The reports were distributed among the participants via Google Drive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Malin Kivel\u00e4 <\/strong> (Society of Swedish Authors in Finland, Carina Carlsons report). <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Maarja Kangro  <\/strong>(Estonian Writer\u2019s Union) <\/p>\n\n\n\n

     Hanne Ramsdal<\/strong> (Norwegian Authors Union) <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Ville Hyt\u00f6nen<\/strong> (Union of Finnish Writers) <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Laura Pascual <\/strong>(The Finnish Association of Translators and Interpreters)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Vibeke Koehler<\/strong> (Norwegian Society of Authors) <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Alena Makouskaya<\/strong> (International Union of Belarusian Writers)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    End of the first session 16.00<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Saturday 26<\/strong>th<\/sup><\/strong> 2025<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    10 \u2013 14 General Assembly<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    The session started at 10.00<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      \n
    1. Reports from member organisations continued.\u00a0<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

      Daniel Lubi\u0144ski <\/strong>(Polish Association of Literary Translators) <\/p>\n\n\n\n

      Hilde Lyng<\/strong> (Norwegian Association of Literary Translators) <\/p>\n\n\n\n

      Marius Burokas <\/strong>(Lithuanian Writers\u2019 Union) <\/p>\n\n\n\n

      Sanne Mathiassen<\/strong> (Norwegian Writers for Children) <\/p>\n\n\n\n

      Markus Roduner<\/strong> (Lithuanian Association of Literary translators) <\/p>\n\n\n\n

      Anna-S\u00e4flund Orstadius<\/strong> (Swedish Writers\u2019 Union)  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

      Mudite Treimane <\/strong>(Latvian Writers Union) <\/p>\n\n\n\n

      9.<\/strong>  Treasurer\u2019s Anna-S\u00e4flund Orstadius report by the Treasurer of BWC.<\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n

      The Treasurer Anna-S\u00e4flund Orstadius presented the finances of 2024 and the budget of 2025. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

      10.<\/strong> Auditor\u2019s report.<\/strong> The auditor (Johanna Sandberg<\/strong>) found the books in order, finances were used according to the purposes and the board was granted freedom of responsibility for 2024.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      After hearing the Treasurer\u2019s report and Auditor\u2019s report General Assembly approved unanimously the finances of 2024 and the budget  for 2025.<\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n

      12. Election of Auditors.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

      Johanna Sandberg<\/strong> was elected as auditor.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      13. Plans for the next year. <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

      The GA decided to organize a small event next year. Reading in the BWCT library, open to the public. In addition to that a working group of Sasa, Daniel <\/strong>and Ville <\/strong>was formed to prepare and organize a performance on Friday.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      14. Other issues.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

      Malin Kivel\u00e4 informed that Ulrich Schreber, former Head of Berlin literary festival looks for cooperation. GA decided that more information is necessary from him. The GA also had a discussion about AI. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

      Lena Pasternak asked to spread the word about the centre.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      17. Date of the next GA.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

      The GA decided that the next assembly will be on 24\u201325 April 2026 <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

      Group picture was taken.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      18. Closing the GA. <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

      The GA was closed at 13.00<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      Malin Kivel\u00e4 Piret Viires<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      Chairperson Secretary<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

      Time and place: 25\u201326 April 2025, Baltic Centre for Writers and Translators, Uddens gr\u00e4nd 3, 621 56 Visby, Sweden. The following representatives of the 14 member organisations from 8 countries were present (altogether 19 persons): Swedish Writers\u2019 Union (Anna-S\u00e4flund Orstadius),  The Union of Finnish Writers (Ville Hyt\u00f6nen, Alexandra Salmela), Society of Swedish Authors in Finland … Continue reading Baltic Writers Council (BWC), General Assembly 2025<\/span> →<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-421","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.balticwriterscouncil.info\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/421","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.balticwriterscouncil.info\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.balticwriterscouncil.info\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.balticwriterscouncil.info\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.balticwriterscouncil.info\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=421"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.balticwriterscouncil.info\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/421\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":422,"href":"https:\/\/www.balticwriterscouncil.info\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/421\/revisions\/422"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.balticwriterscouncil.info\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=421"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.balticwriterscouncil.info\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=421"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.balticwriterscouncil.info\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=421"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}