Words can heal, Dealing with trauma and mental health in contemporary European fiction for women and young readers: Words Can Heal WCH

Programme(s): Creative Europe Programme (CREA)
Topic: CREA-CULT-2024-LIT
Type of action: CREA Lump Sum Grants
Project ID: 101192105

Objective: "Project ""Words can heal, Dealing with trauma and mental health in contemporary European fiction for women and young readers"" is based on the idea that reading survival narratives can help us heal the trauma. This project aims to raise awareness about the experiences of trauma as depicted in literature, foster empathy and understanding for survivors of trauma, and promote dialogue about mental health, resilience, and healing. Our wish is to create a safe environment for discussing and exploring literature and mental health. In Serbia, Europe and the rest of the world, trauma is the word of the decade. We are witnesses to wars, pandemic, abuse, discrimination, natural catastrophes, or personal traumatic experiences which has strong influence on our mental health. Since literature is a mirror of life, trauma is one of the most used themes in contemporary literature, and reading survival narratives can help us heal. The project aims to promote the healing power of literature, introduce genre innovation, engage young readers, strengthen gender balance, and support the development of green agenda in publishing – while increasing awareness of problems of trauma and healing in literature and life. An equally important goal of this project is to provide the wider audience for contemporary fiction, which we will achieve by carefully planned cross-sectorial cooperation and innovative ways of distribution and promotion. We chose to publish seven high-quality, influential, and award-winning European works of fiction, diverse by genre (graphic novel, drama, poetry collection, novel) connected through the topic of trauma and survival, written in six languages that are underrepresented in Serbia. Six books will be translated to Serbian (one as bilingual edition), and one book will be published in original Ukrainian. The books will be translated with the help of our highly experienced translators, and will add to the transnational circulation of literature and help introduce new authors to Serbian readership."