Schimbul cultural stiintific si SF Anglo-Romn

O scurta istorie

In caz ca v-ati intrebat ce pot face impreuna un mic grup de fani din doua tari, cum este Schimbul Cultural Anglo-Romn, iata un scurt sumar al realizarilor lor. Din nefericire nu avem spatiu pentru a cita toate activitatile, articolele scrise, prezentele la radio si televiziune, precum nici lista completa cu toti cei implicati n activitati, sau care si-au oferit sprijinul si sponsorizarile. Insa ceea ce urmeaza va va oferi sumarul realizarilor grupului

1991 Recenzii ale fanzinului semi-profesionist Science Fact & Fiction Concatenation (editori: Jonathan Cowie, Tony Chester si Graham Connor) sunt citite de fanii romani care ulterior scriu redactiei Concatenation si Societatii NW Kent. Primul dintre ei este un anume Nicolae Ariton din Tulcea.

1993 Echipa de la Concatenation invita cate un est-european la cina in fieare dintre cele 5 zile ale Euroconului din Jersey, Canalul Mnecii, inclusiv 3 romani. Fiecare dintre ei si informeaza colegii, astfel ca la safirsitul Conventiei multi dintre membrii delegatiei romane s-au intalnit cu echipa de la Concatenation.

1994 A fost realizat un numar special, in trei limbi (engleza, germana si romana) a fanzinului Concatenation pentru a fi prezentat la Euroconul de la Timisoara, Romnia. Antuza si Silviu Genescu au efectuat mare parte din traducerile in limba romna.

1995 Contactele au fost reafirmate la Euroconul 1995 de la Glasgow, un Eurocon-Worldcon, iar ulterior in cadrul unei cine la Londra, impreuna cu autorii Norman Spinrad si Lee Wood. Cteva saptamni mai trziu, Schimbul Cultural a acoperit cheltuielile pentru o vizita de interes stiintific si science fiction efectuate la Londra si, apoi, la Festivalul de film fantastic de la Manchester, de Cristian Lazarescu si Antuza Genescu. Viceprimarul din Bexley Bororugh si primeste pe membrii Schimbului Cultural Anglo-Romn si i se inmaneaza un volum in limba engleza de povestiri SF romnesti, pentru biblioteca publica din Bexley. Cristian si Antuza sunt invitati in studioul sectiei romanesti a BBC, la Londra, unde realizeaza o emisiune.

1995 Tony Chester face o vizita fanilor SF din Bucuresti si Timisoara.

1996 Sunt realizate doua editii ale fanzinului Concatenation, una in engleza si una in romaneste, despre activitatile Schimbului si evenimente SF europene din afara spatiului anglofon. Jonathan Cowie participa la lansarea editiilor la Timisoara. Exemplare din fanzin sunt distribuite la Bucuresti si la tabara de vara SF Atlatykron. In Occident, distributia a acoperit Euroconul de la Dublin, Irlanda si Festivalul de film fantastic de la Manchester. Echipa Anglo-Romna de la Concatenation a fost distinsa cu Premiul Eurocon pentru Cei mai buni promotori" ai SF-ului european, pentru activitatea din anul precedent.

1999 Jonathan Cowie participa la un turneu de conferinte pe teme stiintifice in vestul Romniei, de la Jimbolia la Hunedoara. Saptamana Internationala SF are loc la Timisoara, cu prilejul eclipsei totale de soare, fiind organizata de Schimbul Cultural, cu participarea Societatii SF NW Kent (UK) si cenaclul SF H.G. Wells (Ro). Invitatul de Onoare a fost Robert Sheckley (SUA), Maestrul de Ceremonii, Roberto Quaglia (Italia), Fan Invitat, Tony Chester (UK). In timpul saptamnii, Schimbul Cultural a fost onorat de prezenta viceprimarului Timisorii, care a participat la lansarea celor doua volume aparute la editura Nemira, autorii fiind Robert Shekley si Roberto Quaglia.

2000 Societatea SF NW Kent (The Phoenicians) si Concatenation, sponsorizeaza prin intermediul Schimbului Cultural vizita in locurile de interes stiintific si cultural a Antuzei Genescu si lui Mandics Gyorgy la Londra (incluznd aici si vizita la o cafea la Royal Society, in culisele Muzeului de Istorie Naturala, la colegiul unde a nvatat H.G. Wells si redactiile maghiara si romana a BBC-ului). Dupa care a urmat vizita la congresul national SF britanic din Glasgow. Ulterior, Schimbul Cultural insoteste intr-o vizita de trei zile la Londra, inainte de un simpozion pe teme ecologice, ecologistele din Bucuresti, Mihaela Comanescu si Veronica Stoian.

2001 Echipa Anglo-Romna de la cenaclul H.G. Wells din Timisoara si Societatea SF NW Kent realizeaza un fanzin bilingv, in engleza si romna, care este distribuit la Euroconul 2001 tinut pe insula Atlantykron de pe Dunare.

Two editions of the semi-prozine Concatenation

Jonathan Cowie, Concatenation editor-in-chief

The Anglo-Romanian Science and Science Fiction Cultural Exchange


A Brief History


In case you wondered what a small group of fans from two countries, like the Anglo-Romanian Exchange, can do together, here is a brief summary of its main achievements. Unfortunately there is no room here to cite all the activities, articles written, radio and TV broadcasts undertaken, or to list all of those involved or who gave sponsorship and support. Nonetheless, the following will give you the gist of its activities.

1991 Reviews of the Science Fact & Fiction Concatenation semi-pro fanzine (Editors: Jonathan Cowie, Tony Chester and Graham Connor) are read by Romanians who then write to Concatenation and the NW Kent SF Society. The first is one Nicolae Ariton from Tulcea

1993 The Concatenation team take a different Eastern European to dinner each of the 5 days of the Jersey, Channel Islands, Eurocon, including 3 Romanians. Each of these informs their colleagues, so that by the end of the convention many of the Romanian delegation had met one or more of the Concatenation team.

1994 A special tri-lingual (English, German and Romanian) edition of Concatenation was produced for the Eurocon, Timisoara, Romania. Antuza and Silviu Genescu undertook much of the translation into Romanian.

1995 Contacts were re-affirmed at the 1995 Glasgow, Eurocon-Worldcon and then later in London with a dinner with SF authors Nomran Spinrad and Lee Wood. A couple of months later the Exchange sponsored Cristian Lazarescu (Bucharest) and Antuza Genescu (Timisoara) to visit sites of scientific and science fictional interest in London, followed by the Festival of Fantastic Films in Manchester. The Deputy Mayor of Bexley Borough welcomes the Exchange and recieves an English translated book of Romanian SF for the Borough's central library. Cristian and Antuza make a BBC World Service broadcast to Romania from London.

1996 Tony Chester visits SF fans in Bucharest and Timisoara.

1997 Two editions of Concatenation produced, one in English and one in Romanian on the Exchanges and non-English European SF events. Jonathan Cowie to the zine launch in Timisoara. Copies also distributed in Bucharest and at the SF summer camp on the Danube. In the west distribution took place at the Eurcon, Dublin, Ireland and at the Festival of Fantastic Films, Manchester. The 'Anglo-Romanian Concatenation team' received the Eurcocon Award for 'Best Promoter' of European SF for the previous year's work.

1999 Jonathan Cowie undertakes a science lecture tour of western Romania from Jimbolia to Hunedoara. The International Week of SF takes place in Timisoara during the total eclipse week run by the Exchange in the guise of the N.W. Kent SF Society (UK) and the H. G. Wells Society (Ro). Guest of Honour: Robert Sheckley (US). Toastmaster: Roberto Quaglia (I). Fan Guest: Tony Chester (UK). During the week the Exchange was also pleased to welcome with Timisoara's Deputy Mayor the Nemira launch of two SF books by Robert Sheckley and Roberto Quaglia.

2000 The NW Kent SF Society (The Phoenicians) and Concatenation, through the Exchange sponsors Mandics Gyorgy and Antuza Genescu to visit sites of science and science fictional interest in London (including a coffee reception at the Royal Society, behind the scenes at the Natural History Museum, H.G. Wells' college and the Romanian and Hungarian units of the BBC World Service), and then the UK national SF convention in Glasgow. Later the Exchange hosts Bucharest ecologists Mihaela Comanescu and Veronica Stoian on a three-day tour of London prior to an ecological symposium.

2001 An Anglo-Romanian team from the H. G. Wells SF Society in Timisoara and the N.W. Kent SF Society produce a bi-lingual, Anglo-Romanian zine.