Words at War – The Responsibility of Literature

Dismissed by some as mere escapism in times of crisis, creating and enjoying literature can also be an act of resistance: a way of connecting people across borders, time, and conflict.

For Nigerian poet Inua Ellams, literature is a collective artform capable of bringing together communities of African origin living in the post-colonial continent; the work of Ukrainian poet and military medic Yaryna Chornohuz offers a familiar shoulder to lean on in the darkness of war; and Ukrainian Institute London director Olesya Khromeychuk’s research bears witness to the political and military violence that marks East European history.

In a special event to mark the opening of Lviv BookForum 2026, join this trio of acclaimed writers and journalist Misha Glenny in an evening of fiction, poetry, and reflections at The Conduit as we welcome old friends and new faces to our stage for this timely conversation.

Event Schedule

6:30pm: Pre-event socialising and networking
A cash bar will be available for refreshments.

7:00pm: Event begins

8:00pm: Event ends

Speakers

Yaryna Chornohuz is a Ukrainian writer and poet, and since 2020 has served as a marine in the Armed Forces of Ukraine. She is the author of three poetry collections and the recipient of the Taras Shevchenko National Prize of Ukraine in literature (2024) as well as the Women in Arts. Literature Award (2024). For her military service, she has been awarded the Medal “For a Saved Life” (2022), the Honorary Badge of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine, and the Medal “For Military Service to Ukraine.”

Inua Ellams is a writer and curator. He is a cross disciplinary artist, an internationally touring performer, a poet, playwright, screenwriter, graphic artist & designer. His published books of poetry include Candy Coated Unicorns and Converse All Stars, Thirteen Fairy Negro Tales, The Wire-Headed Heathen, #Afterhours, and The Actual. His first play The 14th Tale was awarded a Fringe First at the Edinburgh International Theatre Festival. His plays include Barber Shop Chronicles, Three Sisters and The Half-God of Rainfall. He is currently touring Search Party, An Evening With An Immigrant and working on several commissions across stage and screen.

Dr Olesya Khromeychuk is a historian and writer. She received her PhD in History from University College London. She has taught the history of East-Central Europe at the University of Cambridge, University College London, the University of East Anglia, and King’s College London. She is author The Death of a Soldier Told by His Sister (2022) and ‘Undetermined’ Ukrainians. Post-War Narratives of the Waffen SS ‘Galicia’ Division (2013). She is currently the Director of the Ukrainian Institute London.

Misha Glenny is an award-winning journalist, author, and public intellectual. A former BBC Central Europe Correspondent who covered the revolutions in Eastern Europe and the wars in the former Yugoslavia, he is a sought-after keynote speaker on the geopolitics of cybersecurity and organized crime. His best-selling non-fiction book McMafia (Bodley Head, 2008), about the globalization of organized crime, was adapted into a major TV drama series on BBC1 and AMC. Glenny is also the author of an acclaimed single-volume history of the modern Balkans.

This event is part of Lviv BookForum 2026, run in partnership with Hay Festival Global and the Ukrainian Institute London with the support of the British Council.