As tradition holds, the literary season closed on a high note with the Derzhavin Poetry Festival on Monday. Let us reflect on the journey.

Since last autumn, ahead of and following the BRICS summit in Kazan, we at Kazan Vedomosti hosted five online sessions with poets from China, India, Egypt, Iran, and Indonesia. From November to April, our newspaper ran the second edition of the open poetry contest StikhiYA, named after Alexei Krasnov, which drew a record number of participants from across Russia. Just before the celebrations of the 80th Victory Anniversary, we held a poetic teleconference with poets from CIS countries—an event that launched the 8th International Musical-Poetic Festival Handshake of Republics.

“Welcome to Ufa!” While the first five editions of the RR-Fest were hosted in Kazan, financial constraints relocated it first to Cheboksary, then Yoshkar-Ola, and this year to the capital of Bashkortostan, Ufa, within the 3rd International Book Fair Kitap Bayram (May 30–June 1). The fair saw a record attendance of 270 publishers from 27 Russian regions and from Belarus, Kazakhstan, and Iran. Nearly 200,000 visitors attended.

Opening speeches were delivered by: Radiy Khabirov, Head of Bashkortostan, Sergey Stepashin, President of the Russian Book Union, Liliya Gumerova, Chair of the Federation Council’s Culture Committee, Konstantin Chechenev of the ASKI Publishing Association, Maxim Dreval, CEO of Russian Society Znanie, and others.

Across three stages, continuous performances unfolded with theater groups, folk ensembles, and book presentations by authors from across the nation.

A highlight was the International Scientific-Creative Seminar: “Quantum Leap: AI in Education, Art, and Medicine” Held in a high-tech venue linked to the “United Russia” social support HQ, it featured speakers from Egypt, Greece, Algeria, Azerbaijan, and Belarus, and Russian cities like Tatarstan, Crimea, and Tula.

A heated debate was sparked by remarks from Prof. Nina Warshavskaya (Kazan Conservatory) and Ashraf Aboul-Yazid, Egyptian poet and Secretary General of the African Journalists Congress. The core idea: Poetry and music are not about rhyme and meter, but about human spiritual searching—more subtle than quarks or code. No AI can grasp that depth.

The centerpiece was the poetic battle: “Poets vs. AI – Handshake of Republics, Ufa 2025.” Held at Ufa’s iconic ART Square, founder Olga Levadnaya awarded diplomas to winners: Yulia Repetskaya, Alina Din, Denis Gnusenkov (Ufa); and remotely to: Victoria Yerukh (Krasnodar), Natalia Pekarzh (St. Petersburg), Ekaterina Anuchina (Yoshkar-Ola).

The musical-poetic concert featured the string quartet “Intermezzo” from the Bashkir Opera and Ballet Theater, led by violinist Elena Khatipova, who also read her own poetry.

“Let’s go!” Ufa residents praised the festival as a unique and refreshing cultural experience, even those unfamiliar with poetry.

It was our first time at such a grand international fair, and Kitap Bayram earned full marks.

Kazan too boasts many literary events—but scattered. If united, they could rival Kitap Bayram.

In June alone, Kazan hosted the Pushkin Poetry Day, the “Book Fest,” and the Smena Summer Book Festival. But the highlight was the “Cultural Landing 45/25” on June 19.

At the National Library of Tatarstan, poets Anna Dolgareva and Maria Vatutina performed, alongside writers Zakhar Prilepin and Sergey Lukyanenko. Entire families came—some from Chuvashia and Udmurtia—to meet the author of Night Watch.

Prilepin also revived classic writer workshops for authors under 50—free if selected. One strict requirement? “The text must include a positive image of Russia.”

Prilepin presented his new 700-page novel Tuma, about Stepan Razin, in Kazan—set to be the literary event of the year.

We remembered Ufa as we browsed book stalls. I bought Russian Ancestors of Pushkin. Books were pricey.

At the closing session, Sergey Stepashin stressed: “Bashkortostan earned the title of ‘Russia’s Literary Flagship.’ But the real issue is book affordability. We must fix that.”

And then came the bombshell: Publishing costs rose again. Prices will rise.

So, readers—rush to the bookstores! Stock up before prices soar.

Alexander Voronin Member of the Union of Russian Writers Honored Cultural Worker of Tatarstan

____________________

Published under International Cooperation with "THE SILK ROAD"