On September 14, 2025, the society “Park of Intellect” organized the event “Poetry Days” at Rainis’ House in Berķenele. This year, it turned into a day rich with reflections and creative experiments, bringing together literature enthusiasts, writers, translators, and researchers.
The participants had the opportunity to meet like-minded people, discuss current issues in literature and culture, share experiences, and engage in various creative activities that invited them to explore the world of literature and its diverse expressions.
In the think tank “How to Write about Trauma?” poet, writer, and playwright Inga Gaile, together with literary scholar Dr. philol., Assoc. Prof. Sandra Meškova, initiated a discussion on how literature can reflect experiences of personal and collective trauma. The participants explored writing as a tool for healing trauma, with special attention given to the portrayal of war in the consciousness of Ukraine’s civilians. The emotionally charged atmosphere was enhanced by Inga Gaile’s poetry readings, which intensified the perception of traumatic texts.
In the masterclass on the Ukrainian literature translation, led by translator Māra Poļakova and literary scholar Dr. philol., Prof. Maija Burima, the participants not only discussed the themes and new directions of contemporary Ukrainian literature but also became translators themselves, gaining insight into the nuances of linguistic and cultural transfer. Working together in groups, they made Latvian translations of Ukrainian poetry. The activity concluded with readings of the their own versions of poem translations and reflections on the biographies and literary works of contemporary Ukrainian authors.
In the activity “From Technology to Creativity – Just One Step” methodologist Oļģerts Rihlickis and IT specialist Gustavs Koržeņevskis invited everyone to embark on a virtual adventure with VR glasses. The participants moved through stations that offered experiences inaccessible in ordinary life – a flight into space and a walk through the streets of the Swiss town of Lugano in the company of Rainis and Aspazija. In the second part of the activity, the participants were invited to express the emotions they had felt during the virtual journey, which were then processed by artificial intelligence to create a unique collective set of poems.
The society “Park of Intellect” expresses its gratitude to all participants, including 20 civilians from Ukraine and 20 representatives of the host community.
You demonstrated genuine cooperation and mutual respect, which became the emotional core of this event.
