For Romania’s 15th participation at the London Book Fair (LBF), the Romanian Cultural Institute presents a diverse programme of events celebrating the transformative power of literature as an act of resistance. Weaving together the voices of iconic Romanian figures past and present, whose work stands as a powerful testament to the atrocities of history, the programme invites audiences to read beyond what meets the eye.
Join us at Olympia Exhibition Centre, Shaw Theatre and at our HQ in Belgrave Square for three days of poetry, theatre, book launches and dialogues! Our brilliant guests are poets Ana Blandiana and Fiona Sampson, translator Viorica Patea, publishers and authors Neil Astley, Monique Charlesworth, Denisa Comănescu and Dan Pleșa, cultural manager, translator and editor Alexandra Buchler, and actress Oana Pellea.
The Romanian participation at the LBF 2025 is organised by the Romanian Cultural Institute through its National Book Centre and Romanian Cultural Institute in London, with the support of the Romanian Embassy, Shaw Theatre, Kibo Productions, Povești spuse-n românește, Rostalgy, Bloodaxe, Moth Books and the Romanian Publishers Association. The project is funded by the Romanian Cultural Institute.
TUESDAY, 11 MARCH
1 pm / Stand 5B105/ Olympia Exhibition Centre, Hammersmith Road
The Opening of the Romanian Stand at the London Book Fair 2025
The opening event at Romania’s stand brings together Romanian and British authors, translators, publishers and other professionals from both sides of the English Channel. Opening remarks by H.E. Mrs.Laura Popescu - the Romanian Ambassador to the United Kingdom and Aura Woodward - Director of the Romanian Cultural Institute in London. Followed by a vin d’honneur.
N.B. This event is open to LBF badge holders only.
TUESDAY, 11 MARCH
7 pm/ Romanian Cultural Institute, 1 Belgrave Square, SW1X8PH
Words’ Long Journey into Light: An Evening with Award-Winning Poet Ana Blandiana
Free entry. RSVP HERE
The highlight of Romania’s participation in this year’s London Book Fair is an event dedicated to one of the country’s most revered literary figures, poet and activist Ana Blandiana. The recent winner of the prestigious Princess of Asturias Award for Literature will be joined by her translator, Viorica Pâtea, as well as the acclaimed British poet and biographer Fiona Sampson MBE FRSL, a long-standing supporter of Romanian literature in the UK. The evening will feature a conversation between the two authors and poetry readings in both Romanian and English. With an opening address from Neil Astley, editor and founder of Bloodaxe Books, the British publishing house that has just released Ana Blandiana’s fourth volume of poems, The Shadow of Words(translated by Paul Scott Derrick and Viorica Patea).
Followed by a vin d’honneur.
WEDNESDAY, 12 MARCH
7:30 pm/ Shaw Theatre, 110 Euston Road, London NW1 2AJ
Diaries of Defiance: Oana Pellea Stars in "The Silent Escape"
TICKETS £20. BOOK HERE
For the second day in the programme, we reveal an artist’s journey into the world of writing. "The Silent Escape", a compelling one-woman theatre performance inspired by the diaries of artist Lena Constante, is brought to life by the beloved actressOana Pellea. In Romanian with English surtitles.
"The Silent Escape" is a story of survival, inner freedom, and resistance against oppression. It is based on the harrowing experiences of visual artist and memoirist Lena Constante (1909 – 2005) during her long and dark years in communist prisons. Through her brilliant directing and moving performance, Oana Pellea conveys the emotions and suffering of a woman who found the strength to endure through art and introspection.
Presented in partnership with Kibo Productions. Media partners: Povești spuse-n românește and Rostalgy.
THURSDAY, 13 MARCH
7 pm/ Romanian Cultural Institute, 1 Belgrave Square, SW1X8PH
Bridging Words: A Cross-Border Dialogue on Literary Translation
Free entry. RSVP HERE
We conclude our series of events with a thought-provoking panel discussion on translation across borders, exploring the publication of other countries’ literatures in the company of Romanian and British guests. From Romania, we’ll be joined by publishers and authors Denisa Comănescu (Humanitas) and Dan Pleșa (Vellant), while the UK will be represented by Neil Astley (Bloodaxe Books) and Monique Charlesworth (Moth Books). The conversation will be moderated by cultural manager, translator, and editor Alexandra Büchler, director of Literature Across Frontiers, one of the UK’s most active literary organizations in promoting cross-border collaborations.
The evening is sure to spark debate and inspire, and we look forward to welcoming literature buffs and British publishers in search of the next editorial adventure!
Followed by a vin d’honneur.
