Turkish author Ahmet Ümit will welcome 20 translators and nine publishers who have brought his works to readers in different languages to Istanbul from Oct. 20 to 22.
According to a statement by Yapı Kredi Culture and Arts, a panel titled “From Istanbul to the World: Ahmet Ümit’s Journey Through Words” will be held at Yapı Kredi Culture and Arts on Oct. 21.
Organized under the theme “Translation, Publishing and Reader Stories from Around the World,” the event will explore how Ümit’s works have been received in different cultures, the linguistic and cultural challenges encountered during translation and the international circulation of Turkish literature.
Focusing on the author’s journey across the literary world through translations ranging from Chinese and Portuguese to German and Mongolian, the panel will bring together translators and publishers to share their experiences.
Following an opening address by Tülay Güngen, general manager of Yapı Kredi Culture, Arts and Publishing, Ümit will deliver a speech titled “The Journey of Stories.”
The first session, “Bringing Ahmet Ümit into Other Languages,” moderated by Nermin Mollaoğlu, will examine the challenges of translating the author’s works, cultural transfer and the translator’s role in recreating a literary text.
A second session under the same title will focus on translating Ümit’s literary world into Russian, the literary bridge between Türkiye and Italy established through translation and the publication of his works in Spanish and Slovenian.
Moderated by Ayça Çakmak, the session “Ahmet Ümit Through the Publisher’s Eyes” will examine the publication of Turkish literature in countries including Pakistan, Bulgaria and Croatia, as well as publishers’ experiences of introducing the works to local readers.
Another session led by Çakmak, titled “Istanbul, History and Memory,” will explore how the city’s multilayered character is reflected in translation, cultural exchange through literature and the role of crime fiction in understanding historical events.
The day’s final session, “Beyond the Boundaries of Crime Fiction,” will address how suspense and atmosphere are preserved in translation, the genre’s capacity to encourage critical reflection and literature’s contribution to dialogue between Türkiye and Greece.
Moderated by Zehra Dilaver, the session will feature experiences from translators working in English, Arabic and Greek.
