Regional and local writers, translators, playwrights, poets, illustrators, graphic novelists and comics artists from Northern Macedonia, Albania, Kosovo, Serbia and Turkey can apply for the residency program under the Regional Cultural Diversity Network (READ) project. And during their one-month stay to think and create on the topic of reconciliation and cultural diversity. The residential stay will be organized by the project partners - organizations from the five countries. Each organization will receive two authors during 2021. Young and not very experienced authors are equally welcome, as well as already established authors with more creative experience. One of the application criteria is that the author has published at least two books / works or two translations.

Applicants must be residents of one of these countries. The application deadline is April 29.4.2021, 2021, and the residences will be held in the period from May to December XNUMX. Selected authors will be expected to be productive during their residency. In addition to the work on the larger project they will apply for, they are expected to complete a shorter work (text, essay, poem, short story, article, comic) related to the general theme: "Diversity of Similarities", contributing to reconciliation and intercultural tolerance.

The Regional Network for Cultural Diversity (READ) is an EU-funded project designed to enable civil society activists in the region to contribute to intercultural tolerance and the strengthening of democratic values, with a particular focus on youth. The project is implemented by the Goethe-Institut Skopje together with the partner organizations Association "Crocodile" (Serbia), Center for Balkan Cooperation - "Loja" (Northern Macedonia), Institute for Books and Promotion (Albania), Cultural Association "Kalem" (Turkey) and Multimedia Center (Kosovo).

(The text was published in "Cultural Press" number 76, in the print edition of "Free Press" on April 10-11, 2021)