Lea Ypi to visit Skopje for BookStar 2026 festival

Philosopher and author Lea Ypi, winner of the 2026 BookStar award, will visit Skopje on August 24. Her appearance serves as the official prelude to the international BookStar literary festival, which is themed ‘FREE AT LeAST?’.

Ypi will be honored at the ‘Laboratorijum’ venue for her book ‘Free’, a work that explores the complexities of freedom through personal and collective history. The book examines the boundaries between personal and political liberty, drawing on her experiences growing up in communist Albania, the subsequent transition period, and her life in Western Europe.

The event will include a presentation by writer and professor Ivana Trajanoska regarding the book and the award decision. This will be followed by a discussion moderated by professor and translator Kalina Maleska, focusing on the relationship between personal memory and major historical events.