Five cultural figures from the front line of Russia's border with Europe - Lithuania, Finland, Moldova, Latvia and Estonia - explore their national psyche in uncertain times. Their words weave with sounds and encounters from their home city as they explore their country's history, ambitions and distinctive character in the 21st century.

Our essayists across the series include a rapper and media commentator, a former President, a celebrated art critic, a dystopian novelist, and a distinguished literary director.

Today - Lithuanian spoken word artist Žygimantas Kudirka considers the strange and sobering history of his home nation, where surreal is beautiful.

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Speakers featured are:

Žygimantas Kudirka (Lithuania) - rapper, spoken word artist and media commentator
Emmi Itaranta (Finland) - novelist and commentator; author of the dystopian novel Memory Of Water;
Paula Erizanu (Moldova) - arts critic, political commentator and former Culture Editor of The Calvert Journal;
Nora Ikstena (Latvia) - literary director and author of the novel Soviet Milk about female experience in Soviet-occupied Latvia;
Toomas Hendrik Ilves (Estonia) - former Estonian president and writer on digital democracy.

Producer: John Beauchamp
Executive Producer: Steven Rajam

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