More than 70 people have supported Ryhor Baradulin within one day

The Belarusian people’s poet is in a difficult situation. The poet’s associates and followers are selling his books to help him. Baradulin is in hospital at the moment.
More than 70 books have been ordered within the first day of the action and the number of people willing to buy them is increasing. The initiator of the action Hleb Labadzenka has informed about it in an interview with ERB.

Hleb Labadzenka: It is my idea. The thing is uncle Ryhor is a very modest and generous person. He would have never asked for help or money himself. I got to know about his troubles. It was impossible to come to him and say, here is some money for you, uncle Ryhor. We are afraid that it may insult him because the issue is very delicate. That is why we have decided to sell books.

Every book will be signed by the poet. One of the two books given to the poet by publishing houses instead of the fee can be bought now.

Hleb Labadzenka: You can buy the book “To live and see the green grass…” – the correspondence of Ryhor Baradulin and Vasil Bykau that lasted for 43 years. There is also a book of collected verses from the Belarusian collection of books.  I also think that we will help uncle Ryhor to get more space in his room which would allow him to breathe freely.

ERB has decided to ask the “state” Union of Writers of Belarus whether they knew about the problems of the people’s poet. It turned out that the head of the union Mikalai Charhinets had not heard about it. However, he promised to help if the poet asked him for it.

Mіkalai Charhіnets: I do not know what health problems he has. There are cases when the Union of Belarusian Writers addresses to me. I think we should help our colleagues. I have a good attitude to him as he has done a lot for the literature.

However, an official request is unlikely to be addressed to Charhinets.

Hleb Labadzenka: I did not address anyone because it is a beneficent action. However, if Mikalai Charninets offers help or decides to buy a book – he will be welcome.

Applications can be sent to this e-mail: [email protected]. The starting price for books is from 12 to 50 thousand roubles. However, it is possible to donate more.