The meeting “From Moldova to Bodaybo” will focus on the fate of Moldovan citizens persecuted by the Soviet Union. The starting point for the discussion will be Miłosz Szymański’s book “Who Will Turn Out the Light?” (“Kto zgasi światło?”), based on accounts of people deported deep into the Soviet Union.

The author will talk about nighttime arrests, the deportation of entire families, weeks-long journeys in cattle cars, and life in exile—in Siberian settlements and regions such as Bodaybo. It is a story told from the perspective of individuals: children, mothers, and families who were deprived of their homes, language, and sense of security, yet who struggled to survive despite everything.

During the meeting, Miłosz Szymański will also present contemporary Moldova, showing how the experience of deportations and Soviet repression has shaped collective memory, identity, and the everyday lives of subsequent generations. His account is based on the author’s many months of travel in Moldova, conversations with its residents, and observations of a country where the past continues to leave its mark.

Miłosz Szymański (born in 1988 in Poznań) is a Polish reporter and traveller who gained his first writing experience over many years while travelling across Moldova by train, bus, car, and bicycle. He initially studied law, but while working as a night watchman, he realised that his true passion was reportage and storytelling. After gaining professional experience in various fields, he decided to pursue writing seriously and graduated from the Polish School of Reportage. In 2019, he set out on a six-month journey across Europe and spent many months in Moldova, which became the foundation for his reportage and his first book, “Who Will Turn Out the Light?” (“Kto zgasi światło?”), published in 2023.