Writer Georgi Gospodinov becomes honorary doctor of INALCO institute in Paris

Bulgarian writer Georgi Gospodinov has been awarded the title of Doctor Honoris Causa of the National Institute for Oriental Languages and Civilizations (INALCO) in Paris, the publishing house “Janet 45” announced. Gospodinov was honored at a special ceremony on the evening of March 30 for his contribution to European and world literature. The ceremony took place at the INALCO building in Paris.

“Telling stories, writing books, and translating books are part of saving the world. Because they save the human within us. And from there, they save life itself,” said Georgi Gospodinov in his speech at the ceremony.

In the formal presentation of the Bulgarian writer, Marie Vrinat-Nikolov, a long-time translator and professor of Bulgarian language and literature at INALCO, described Gospodinov’s contribution to world literature and the deeply human ideas behind his books.

“Your work shifts the lines within the Bulgarian literary field, becoming part of world literature thanks to its translations across all continents,” said Marie Vrinat-Nikolov in her speech about Gospodinov’s creative work. “It also reminds us that literature is not only a creator of imaginary worlds but also an ethical and political act,” she added.

The National Institute for Oriental Languages and Civilizations (INALCO) is a higher education institution founded in 1669 (357 years ago). The institute offers specialization in 104 languages from Central and Eastern Europe, Africa, Asia, the Americas, and Oceania. This makes it a hub of multilingualism and multiculturalism across all continents, the publishers say, as cited by BTA.