All is set for the 63rd edition of the “Struga Poetry Evenings,” scheduled to take place from August 22 to 25 in Struga, as confirmed by the festival director, Todorche Tasevski, on Wednesday.

The festival will kick off at noon with the planting of a tree sapling at the Poetry Park to honor the 2024 Golden Wreath laureate, French poet and playwright Jean-Pierre Siméon. The official opening will occur at the “Miladinov Brothers” cultural center, featuring a reading of Konstantin Miladinov’s poem “Longing for the South” and the ceremonial lighting of the festival fire, followed by the traditional “Meridians” poetry reading.

Tasevski mentioned that a specially designed scenography has been arranged, highlighting the potential of the stage by linking the main stage with the summer stage.

In addition to the Golden Wreath winner, the festival will feature readings by other distinguished poets, including “Brothers Miladinovci” award recipient, Macedonian poet and literary critic Katica Kjulavkova; “Struga Bridges” award winner and German poet Katrin Pitz; as well as poets Bengt Berg from Sweden, Anna Hoffman from Germany, Gökçenur Çelebioğlu from Turkey, and Galsansukh Dejidmaa from Mongolia, among others. This year’s theme, “Touch of Beauty,” honors the invention of Braille, whose codification nearly 200 years ago allowed blind people to access the world of books and language, and experience the beauty of poetry.

The festival’s program includes international poetry readings, profiles of the “Miladinov Brothers,” “Struga Bridges,” and “Young Struga” award winners, and a traditional portrait of the laureate at the St. Sofia Church in Ohrid.

Five Macedonian poets will also be part of the program, which includes commemorations of the 90th anniversary of the birth of Macedonian poet Petre M. Andreevski, the 95th anniversary of the births of Macedonian poets Gane Todorovski and Mateja Matevski, and a coffee event with selected poets from the Versopolis platform. An exhibition by Litov Namdag Janchivin, Honorary Consul of Mongolia, will also be opened to mark 30 years of diplomatic relations.

The festival will conclude on Sunday with the “Bridges” ceremony on the Poetry Bridge, featuring international poetry readings and the presentation of the “Golden Wreath,” “Miladinov Brothers,” and “Bridges of Struga” awards to this year’s laureates Jean-Pierre Siméon, Katrin Pitz, Katica Kjulavkova, and Filipa Sara Popova.