Spanish language Taiwan literature anthologies launched in Madrid

Taipei, June 15 (CNA) Two anthologies of contemporary fiction and poetry from Taiwan have been published in Spanish and launched in Madrid, marking a milestone in the National Museum of Taiwan Literature's efforts to expand the global reach of local literature.

The books, titled Antología de cuentos taiwaneses contemporáneos (Anthology of Contemporary Taiwanese Fiction) and Antología de la poesía taiwanesa contemporánea (Anthology of Contemporary Taiwanese Poetry), were introduced at a launch event on June 12 during the Madrid Book Fair, one of Spain's largest literary events, the museum said in a statement Monday.

The launch came just days after a Taiwan Literature Translation Workshop in Poland brought together translators, scholars and publishers from across Europe to discuss the challenges of introducing Taiwan literature to international readers.

• Taiwanese literature translators discuss language, culture in Poland

Published in collaboration with Spanish publishing house Visor Libros, the two titles are part of the museum's translation initiative to promote Taiwan literature overseas.

Spanish becomes the eighth language and ninth overseas market in the Literature from Taiwan (LiFT) program, as well as its first venture into the Spanish-speaking world.

According to the museum, the fiction anthology contains 11 short stories by 11 Taiwanese writers spanning more than seven decades, while the poetry volume features 47 poems by 43 poets and is presented in a bilingual Chinese-Spanish format.

The release also coincides with the 400th anniversary of historical contact between Taiwan and Spain, giving the project additional cultural significance, the museum said.

The museum noted that the Poland workshop and Madrid event form part of a broader effort to expand the international profile of Taiwan literature, with additional outreach activities planned in the United Kingdom, France and the Netherlands later this year.

Before the addition of Spanish, the museum's LiFT program had published 34 translated works in seven languages across countries including the Czech Republic, Germany, Japan, Poland, the United States, France, the United Kingdom and the Netherlands.