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The VII All-Russian Literary Festival of Festivals LIFFT-2023 took place in Kazan. Representatives from different republics and regions of Russia were welcomed by: UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador, Co-Chairman of the General Council of the Eurasian Peoples' Assembly Alexandra Ochirova, First Deputy Secretary General - Head of the General Secretariat of the Eurasian Peoples' Assembly Svetlana Smirnova, representatives of the Ministry of Culture and the Writers' Union of Tatarstan.
The all-Russian literary project LIFFT began its history in 2015. The project was supported by the Secretary General of the Eurasian Peoples’ Assembly Andrei Belianinov and began its amazing path, where every year brings its significance, its flavor, its voice and its history. The name itself – “LIFFT” – is an abbreviation: the LITERARY FESTIVAL OF FESTIVALS seems to have developed into the most modern means of transportation. As they say – “nomen est omen”, the name shapes the destiny. And “LIFFT” didn’t just go, but “fly.” The All-Russian festival was complemented by the Eurasian festival a year later. Large-scale geography: Moscow, Crimea, Almaty, Sochi, Baku, Tyumen, Istanbul, Ufa, Cairo, Kazan, Ghana, Cheboksary. And all in less than 8 years. The names of the Laureates and Diploma winners are impressive. Three laureates have the Manhae Prize (the Manhae Prize is a South Korean prize awarded in a number of categories: social work, struggle for peace, scientific achievements, art and literature, Buddhist missionary work. Established in 1974 in honor of the poet and public figure, the Buddhist monk Manhae (1879-1944), who fought for Korean independence from occupation). Four laureates have been nominated for the Nobel Prize. A third have academic titles. One Laureate heads a continental writers' organization. One is the President of the Eurasian Union of Journalists. The other is the organizer of the largest poetry festival in the world. Two Ambassadors. And many are folk writers and poets. The nomination “Best in its Genre” also sounds interesting.
The project has developed many traditions. At the very first festival, a group of poets and musicians wrote a hymn. It is performed at all LiffT events. There are rules established: transfer of the flag from the Laureate to the next Laureate, holding the festival in the country, region, city where the Laureate is from. A parade of festivals is held with flags and in national costumes, poetry readings in native languages.
Since the first festival, poets and artists have gathered on one site to draw and write a book about the city where the festival takes place. A walk along the red carpet will be organized for festival participants.
The author of the LIFFT project is the Chairman of the Literary Council of the Eurasian Peoples' Assembly, Chairman of the World Organization WOW, poet Margarita Al.
Expanding and multiplying, the festival has become an integral part of the literary life of Russia and Eurasia, and, largely due to the fact that it attracted the attention of the Eurasian Peoples’ Assembly, since 2017 the festival has become truly Eurasian. In 2019, for the first time, a literary festival in Eurasia acquired a world-class scale. The festival and forum “Creating the image of the Future Man and the Man of the Future in Literature” was held in Azerbaijan, co-organized by the Eurasian Peoples’ Assembly and the Heydar Aliyev Foundation. Writers from 52 countries around the world started talking about the fact that the warmth of meetings, kindred spirits, respect and veneration of moral values, a humanistic attitude towards the world and the reflection of all this together in works of art, brings together and gives rise to the formation of a community that dares to become that force of good and light reflected in fiction. And after four years, this dream, this desire for unity, became a reality.
Behind every next step there are people whose support, whose knowledge, whose energy gives the project’s movement new meanings and horizons. This is the great poet of Russia Konstantin Kedrov and the great poet of Kazakhstan Olzhas Suleimenov. And the worldview of Alexandra Ochirova, a poet and UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador, formed the basis of the “Memorandum of Intent to create the World Organization of Writers (WOW)” - an organization capable of becoming at the forefront of humanitarian modernization and the protection of spiritual and moral values. The organization acquired not only a name, but also a humanitarian goal, as the main strategic resource for sustainable and safe human existence, uniting the brightest minds of humanity. And those writers who stand at the foundation of this organization today are deeply convinced that those who are entrusted with the word are responsible to those to whom this word is addressed; We are confident that by combining creative efforts we can stop the dehumanization of civilization.
The opening of the festival was attended by three writers, three Laureates, representatives of three republics - Bashkortostan, Tatarstan and Chuvashia. Marcel Salim handed over the festival flag to Alfiya Galimullina. And the festival of literature in the Republic of Tatarstan was launched. At the closing ceremony of the festival, Alfiya Galimullina handed over the festival flag to Marina Karyagina, and the next festival will take place in the Chuvash Republic. And again, the legendary anthem “We are People of Same Planet!” will sound.
