European Union Prize for Literature Awards Ceremony

European Union Prize for Literature Awards Ceremony to be held on 2 October 2019,  at BOZAR, Brussels

“Civilization starts with the invention of letters, which enabled reading, communion and communication with past generations, with other cultures, nations and ideals. 

Flaubert’s dictum ‘Read in order to live’ proposes that books teach us ethics and the human condition in any aspect, as well as exemplify the madness and achievements of our own epoch. Literature is the backbone of democracy, it teaches empathy and provides independent thinking, the mental shield against fake-news and post-factual-eras. With the EUPL we honour these inestimable values of books and, overall: their authors, the sources and voices of European diversity”, says Ms Nina George, President of the European Writers’ Council.

We are pleased to announce that the fourteen laureates of the European Union Prize for Literature (EUPL) will be officially awarded at the EUPL 2019 Awards Ceremony, taking place on 2 October 2019 in BOZAR, Brussels.

The laureates, which were announced by Mr Valer-Daniel Breaz, Romanian Minister of Culture and National Identity, and Mr Tibor Navracsics, European Commissioner for Education, Culture, Youth and Sport on 22 May 2019 at the Permanent Representation of Romania to the European Union in Brussels are:
Laura Freudenthaler (Austria), Piia Leino (Finland), Sophie Daull (France), Réka Mán-Várhegyi (Hungary), Beqa Adamashvili (Georgia), Nikos Chryssos (Greece), Jan Carson (Ireland), Giovanni Dozzini (Italy), Daina Opolskaitė (Lithuania), Marta Dzido (Poland), Tatiana Țîbuleac (Romania), Ivana Dobrakovová (Slovakia), Haska Shyyan (Ukraine) and Melissa Harrison (United Kingdom).

During the official EUPL Awards Ceremony, the awards will be given by Mr Tibor Navracsics, European Commissioner for Education, Youth, Culture and Sport, Ms Hanna Kosonen, Finnish Minister of Education and Science and Ms Sabine Verheyen, Chair of the European Parliament’s Committee on Culture and Education.

Civilization starts with the invention of letters, which enabled reading, communion and communication with past generations, with other cultures, nations and ideals. Flaubert’s dictum ‘Read in order to live’ proposes that books teach us ethics and the human condition in any aspect, as well as exemplify the madness and achievements of our own epoch. Literature is the backbone of democracy, it teaches empathy and provides independent thinking, the mental shield against fake-news and post-factual-eras. With the EUPL we honour these inestimable values of books and, overall: their authors, the sources and voices of European diversity, says Ms Nina George, President of the European Writers’ Council.

The Awards Ceremony will be preceded by readings by each author in various rooms in the BOZAR and the keynote address of the Ceremony will be given by the best-selling Finnish author, Ms Sofi Oksanen.

Having the EUPL ceremony in BOZAR brings this festive evening to an entire new dimension. I am very happy that the 14 laureates of the 2019 edition will have the chance to read some of their books in this landmark cultural institution. Reading the translations in the anthology makes me impatient for these books to be translated: those 14 definitely have talent., stated by Mr Rudy Vanschoonbeek, President of the Federation of European Publishers.
The European Union Prize for Literature (EUPL) is an award which recognises outstanding new and emerging literary talents across Europe, and highlights the wealth of contemporary European literature, while drawing attention to the continent’s unique cultural and linguistic heritage. So far, the EUPL has rewarded 108 authors from 41 country during a decade of its existence. Last year, the EUPL celebrated its 10th Anniversary with the ‘European stories’ short story contest open for all previous laureates. Entering its new cycle, the Prize is introducing its first ever laureates from Georgia and Ukraine.
As stated by Jean Luc Treutenaere, co-President of the European and International Booksellers Federation: 2019, a year of new beginnings for EUPL: the start of a new 3-year cycle, the welcoming of several new countries within the EUPL family and, most importantly, 14 new laureates joining the EUPL palmarès. EIBF wishes to warmly congratulate these 14 European talented, emerging writers. We wish for their works to cross as many borders as possible and to inspire European readers. As representative of booksellers, we wish that their books will integrate the selection of many bookshops throughout Europe.

From 2009-2021, the EUPL was organised by a Consortium comprising the European Writers’ Council (EWC), the Federation of European Publishers (FEP) and the European and International Booksellers Federation (EIBF) with the support of the European Commission. As funded by Creative Europe, it is accessible to all countries participating in this EU funding programme for the cultural and creative sectors for 2014-2020. From 2022 on, the EUPL will be organised by FEP and EIBF only.

From 2009 to 2021, national juries, consisting of experts in fields of literature, publishing and bookselling, were set up in each country participating in the EUPL in the respective year. After shortlisting 3 to 5 authors, the national Juries choose their laureates who receive a financial prize but also benefit from increased international visibility and cross-border promotion, starting with the Awards Ceremony in Brussels and continuing at major book fairs in Europe and beyond.

The procedures and amount of nominees and winners had changed in 2022.

For more information:
Website of the Prize: www.euprizeliterature.eu (under relaunch until 31 January 2022)
Twitter: @euplprize
Facebook page: European-Union-Prize-for-Literature
Instagram: euplprize