The "Franyo Zoltan" Memorial House in Timisoara, owned by the Timisoara Branch of the Romanian Writers' Union (USR), will be rehabilitated by the county administration and transformed into a venue for an international literature festival.
The house belonged to writer and Herder Prize laureate Franyo Zoltan, who left it to the Writers' Union's Timisoara branch. The organization's president, writer Robert Serban, told AGERPRES on Tuesday that the aim is to create a new international literature festival there, in a format distinct from LitVest.
Serban explained that the centrally located house is currently in a state of disrepair, but offers generous space for a library, writers' meetings and a garden suitable for outdoor cultural events.
"The house that Franyo Zoltan donated to the Writers' Union in 1978 is quite dilapidated. He is the only writer who donated his home to the Union and to Timisoara's cultural community, rather than to relatives. We cannot rehabilitate it from membership fees, so we turned to the County Council for support. In the past, book launches and literary meetings were held there, and we want to revive that activity. It's a very good space - Franyo's library, a large yard, ideal for spring and summer events. First, the roof must be repaired so it no longer leaks, then smaller works can follow so the house can be used again," Serban said.
The future festival will be organized by the Timisoara branch of the Writers' Union, and will also include a national literary award.
"I also discussed with County Council president Alfred Simonis a partnership for organizing a major international literature festival in Timisoara, different from FilTM and LitVest. We are also considering establishing a national award - the Banat Literary Prize - for a distinguished Romanian writer," Serban detailed.
Timis County Council president Alfred Simonis confirmed that the administration is looking for concrete ways to support the Writers' Union's activities.
"We discussed a long-term partnership between the County Council and the Timisoara branch of the Writers' Union. During my meeting with Robert Serban, I proposed supporting an international literature festival that would bring important names to Timisoara. Since taking office, I've said we do not want to fund small events that leave no mark and are forgotten the next day. I want relevance, to bring writers, painters and other artists who genuinely add value to the community," Simonis said.
He stressed that he also wants investments in restoring and enhancing heritage buildings, so that Timis County's cultural spaces are worthy of their name and history.
Franyo Zoltan was a writer, publicist and, above all, a translator between Hungarian, German and Romanian. Among other distinctions, he received the prestigious Herder Prize in 1970.
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