Europa SF appeared online precisely a month ago. The idea is a bit older and the website is the successful outcome of the discussions I have had with several SF writers, translators and fans. So it is but fair to say that the idea of creating an informative site whose purpose is to cover the activities going on in the European fandom does not belong to a certain person. It is a collective idea. Through this portal, science fiction lovers can keep in touch with one another and members of the national fandoms will get the feeling that they belong to a larger, continental community with a common but diverse cultural basis.
To analyse our activity so far would be too soon. Yet, judging by the reactions and the messages we have received in the past month, I am convinced that in time, with help from both fans and professionals, this portal will become increasingly important and will provide as much info as possible about the European fandom. It will also facilitate information exchanges between fans, artists, writers and editors, giving us all the chance to discover one another.
We have spent too much time with our eyes glued to our own SF territory, completely unaware of the great things happening in our neighbouring countries, things that are definitely worth taking note of. On a continent where imported North American SF prevails, European authors have become prisoners in their own countries. Those writers whose novels or short stories have crossed the national borders are only a few. Winners of Eurocon awards do not get the acknowledgement they truly deserve. Only a few editors on our continent have had the curiosity to explore the science fiction universe of their neighbouring states.
We believe it’s high time things started changing. Diversity is a quality of European science fiction (never inferior to North American SF!), not a flaw. European SF writers provide a cultural reservoir that is not exploited enough on a continental scale. We believe it’s high time European authors had the courage to cross frontiers and meet one another. We believe it’s high time European editors had the courage to publish more authors from Europe than they have so far.
We believe it’s high time we knew and appreciated one another. This is what Europa SF wants. And any of you reading these lines can make it possible.
English version by Antuza Genescu
