As part of their Hungarian tour, Endre Farkas, a Canadian-Hungarian poet, writer, and translator, visited the University of Debrecen (DE) on Thursday at the invitation of the Faculty of Humanities (BTK) English and American Studies Institute. Together with his partner, fellow Canadian writer Carolyn Marie Souaid, they held a reading from their works and introduced students to Canadian culture.
The literary afternoon was attended primarily by students majoring in English at the institution.
“Our third-year students’ curriculum includes a Canadian component. This semester, we are offering a lecture on Canadian history, culture, and literature, with guest speakers Endre Farkas and Carolyn Marie Souaid. They provide firsthand insights into their country, discussing topics such as multiculturalism and the challenges of cultural encounters, enriching our students’ education by offering them a direct perspective,” emphasized Balázs Venkovits, Director of the DE BTK English and American Studies Institute.
Endre Farkas was born in Hungary as the child of Holocaust survivors. His family fled during the 1956 Hungarian Revolution and settled in Montreal.
His first poetry collection, Szerbusz, carries a dual meaning—”Hello” and “Goodbye”—symbolizing his personal connection to both his homeland and his chosen country. His debut novel, Never, Again, was inspired by the events of 1956 in Hungary.
Farkas has published 11 poetry collections, two plays, and two novels. As a translator, he has rendered several of Balassi’s poems into English.
This year, on February 14—Valentine’s Day—he was awarded the Balassi Bálint Memorial Sword in Budapest. Established in 1997, this literary prize honors poets at the forefront of Hungarian literature and foreign writers who translate Hungarian poetry, including the works of Balassi Bálint.
“It is an honor to receive this recognition. I feel that the jury has acknowledged my lifelong work of building cultural bridges between different peoples and nations through literature and language,” Farkas told hirek.unideb.hu.
He added with humor that transporting the ceremonial sword home to Canada might be a bit complicated, as the award—like books at times—is considered a weapon, requiring special arrangements for air travel.
Endre Farkas is not a stranger to the University of Debrecen. He previously gave a lecture at the English and American Studies Institute in 2016. This time, he and his wife, Carolyn Marie Souaid, held a joint reading at Studio 111 in the Main Building, discussing both their works and the creative process.
The conversation with the guests was moderated by Judit Molnár, a retired lecturer from the English and American Studies Institute.
(unideb.hu)
