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Events News Press
II Trieste
Book

ULYSSES European Odyssey

Monika Bulaj
Weight of history

Eighteen established writers, one from each city/region, will be commissioned to write a chapter in a response to their Arts & Society theme within the context of their city.

Just as Ulysses is innovative in its form and language, so the writers will be chosen with a view to reflecting a breadth of genres, styles and innovations. Each writer will ideally attend their own city’s event. All the (new) chapters from the 18 cities/regions will be brought together in a book publication: ULYSSES European Odyssey.

Monika Bulaj will write the chapter on Trieste

Writer’s Statement

The writer’s statement will follow shortly

Writer’s Biography

Monica Bulaj is an award-winning photojournalist, reporter, documentary film-maker, based in Italy. Her work on minorities at risk, nomads, faiths, and shared sacredness in eastern Europe, the Middle East, the Caucasus, Central Asia, Africa and the Caribbean has been recognised by The Aftermath Project Grant, Leonian Award and W. Eugene Smith Memorial Fund, TED Fellowship, Bruce Chatwin, Special Award, Grant and Visual Arts from the European Association for Jewish Culture, and other awards and nominations. She has studied Polish Philology at the University of Warsaw and also anthropology, philosophy, theology. She speaks eight languages

Bulaj’s work has appeared in The Guardian, Granda Magazine, National Geographic, The New York Times, TIME, Courier International, RevueXXI, La Repubblica, Corriere della Sera, Al Jazeera and GEO, among others. She has published 10 books, the latest being Nur. Afghan Diaries with National Geographic (in Polish), and Where God Whisper, with Contrasto (in English and Italian). She has displayed her work in more than 90 personal exhibitions around the world.

Bulaj was the first woman to receive the Italian National nonViolence award “for her work as a photographer, reporter and documentary-maker which shed light on humanity living in the most hidden yet most evident boundaries on earth, for showing war through its consequences, for investigating mankind’s soul, and eagerness for religiosity, tenderness and dignity. Bulaj makes the invisible visible by exploring peoples soul, by uniting humanity in an image.”

Monica acts in a “performing report” at the theatre, as storyteller: Where God Whisper, Broken Songlines, Sacrum in figure, Far from where, Kabul night, Invisible geographies, Auras, Sacred Crossings, with images, films, sounds, songs and stories written by her. She is a teacher of photography, street theatre and dance on stilts for children in ghettos or at-risk communities. She travels across Europe with her lectures: hosted by universities, art festivals, global conferences and small villages. Monika collaborates for many radio projects as well, both in Poland and in Italy, and with TV for Republica TV and for Rai TV Educational. She has realised a documentary movie: “Noah’s Sons” in Azerbaijan and has screen written documentaries, among which the movie “Romani Rat” on the Holocaust of the Roms, where she had also a leading role and was a storyteller.