What do Yemen and Bulgaria have in common? Seemingly, nothing. Yet both are countries with a socialist past, located on the edge of an Empire. As other continents had their gaze fixed elsewhere, they crafted intertwined relationships with the USSR and the rest of the world. Their stories, free of orientalist stereotypes, reveal new and fascinating perspectives. Eleonora Sacco and Giorgia Spadoni have each spent long periods in Socotra and Sofia, respectively, and have written books about their experiences. In this talk with Martina Napolitano they will attempt to bring these two destinations closer together and make them more accessible to general audiences .
Eleonora Sacco is an Italian travel writer. She writes about travel and curates the blog painderoute.it. She is a tour guide and manager for Kukushka Tours(which she founded in 2023), which focuses on the regions of the Caucasus, Central Asia, and Southwest Asia. She is the co-author of the podcasts Cemento (2019–2021) and Kult (2023). She has published Piccolo alfabeto per viaggiatori selvatici (EDEA, 2020) and Socotra. Viaggio sentimentale in un’isola impossibile (EDEA, 2025).
Giorgia Spadoni is a translator and interpreter. She holds a Master’s degree in Translation from Sofia University and is among the founders of the project Meridiano 13, which aims to shed light on Eastern Europe. She works with various Italian and Bulgarian media and publishing houses and covers the Balkan area for Kukushka tours. She is the author of the literary guide A Sofia con Georgi Gospodinov (Giulio Perrone Editore, 2025).
Martina Napolitano teaches Russian language and translation at the University of Trieste. She was awarded the Benno Geiger Prize in 2024, for her work as translator for Russian classic-contemporary author Sasha Sokolov. She serves as editor for the non-fiction series “Metamorfosi” for Bottega Errante publishing house. She is also president of the association Meridiano 13, which offers in-depth analysis of topics related to Central and Eastern Europe.
