Building bridges from Sejny to the world

The Miłosz family manor house in Krasnogruda. John Beauchamp/TFN

In this episode of The Debrief, we are at home with Krzysztof Czyżewski, Polish poet, director and founder of the Borderland Foundation in Sejny, northeastern Poland.

At the beginning of the war in Ukraine, many were shocked at the brutality of the massacre left behind by Russian forces in Bucha, on the outskirts of Kyiv. As the world saw the shocked and disheartened face of Ukraine’s President Zelensky, Czyżewski put pen to paper…

He has since been helping to house Ukrainian writers and artists in Sejny, with some also resident at the Miłosz family manor house in Krasnogruda, which lies on the border with Lithuania.

After a recent study trip to Georgianow the Borderland Foundation has published “Facing the War”, a poetry series of ten books written by Ukrainian authors in translation by Polish poets, with proceeds going to the writers.

Host John Beauchamp speaks to Krzysztof Czyżewski at his home in Krasnogruda near Sejny.


Welcome to The First News weekly newsletter

Every Friday catch up on our editor’s top pick of news about Poland, including politics, business, life and culture. To receive your free email subscription, sign up today.