Trans-European Journeys
A Creative Europe Literary Translation Initiative
Connecting European voices across borders through translation, publication, and cultural exchange.
Co-funded by the European Union through the Creative Europe Programme.
Trans-European Journeys represents Letras Ausentes’ inaugural European initiative, supported by the Creative Europe Programme. This ambitious project introduces continental literature to new audiences through strategic translation efforts, cultivating meaningful cultural exchange across diverse linguistic landscapes.
Beyond conventional publishing, the initiative serves as a cultural catalyst connecting disparate literary traditions, facilitating intercultural dialogue, and celebrating the profound diversity of European literary expression.
First Translation Release
《葡风剪影》
(Retalhos Lusitanos)
By Martim Castro de Noronha
Publication Date: Winter 2025
《葡风剪影》, translated from the Portuguese collection Retalhos Lusitanos, is the first title published by Letras Ausentes within the framework of the Trans-European Journeys project. This lyrical collection carries Portugal’s voice into Simplified Chinese, guiding readers through cobblestoned streets, vineyard-terraced valleys, and the timeless rhythm of bells and ocean winds. Each poem becomes both a memory and a map, re-imagined for new readers and cultures.
Project goals & impact
Through Trans-European Journeys, we aim to:
Broaden access
Increase availability of Portuguese and other European works through translation.
Celebrate diversity
Bring underrepresented voices into new cultural spaces and readers’ lives.
Support cultural professionals
Provide resources and platforms for translators, editors and cultural mediators.
Strengthen dialogue
Promote shared literary experiences across Europe and into Asia (Simplified Chinese, Korean, Vietnamese).
Project leadership & partners
Trans-European Journeys is co-funded by the European Union through the Creative Europe programme and carried out by a consortium of cultural and publishing organisations.
Future Developments
The Trans-European Journeys catalogue will continue to expand with the addition of new titles in the years to come. Each release will contribute to a richer network of translated works that highlight the diversity and vitality of European literature.
Join the Journey
Trans-European Journeys embodies both inception and commitment: facilitating literary encounters between European works and audiences beyond their linguistic origins, and cultivating cultural plurality through collaborative translation.
“Join us in celebrating the stories that connect us all — one translation at a time.”