Special mention of Ukraine at the European Union Prize for Literature: Ukrainian Yevhenia Kuznetsova received a special mention from the Jury of the Prize

April 27, 2022.

    The winner of the European Union Prize for Literature (the EUPL) was announced on April 22, 2022, at the Paris Book Fair. On February 28, 2022, 14 nominees from all countries participating in the European Union's Creative Europe program were announced. They included writers from Austria, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Lithuania, Northern Macedonia, Norway, Romania, Slovakia, Spain and Ukraine. The authors and their novels were nominated by national entities, knowledgeable about the literary scene in their countries and used to promoting their national literature abroad.
    
    The European Union Prize for Literature (EUPL) recognises emerging fiction writers from the European Union and beyond. Spotlighting the creativity and the immense and diverse wealth of Europe’s contemporary literature in the field of fiction, EUPL aims to encourage the circulation of literature within Europe and encourage greater interest in non-national literary works.
    
    The 2022 edition is a special one for EUPL, introducing a change in the organisation of the Prize. For the first time, a seven-member European jury awarded one overall winner for this edition, accompanied by five special mentions. This year's winner is Iva Pezuashvili with the work "Garbage Pipe".
    
    Ukrainian author Yevgeny Kuznetsov (“Ask Miechka”) was awarded a special mention. In addition, the special mention got Belgian Gea Shoters (“Trophy”), Bosnian Sladjana Nina Perkovic (“In the Ditch”), Irish Tadhg Mc Donnagain (“Madame Lazar”) and Spaniard Jacobo Bergaresh (“Ideal Days”).
    
    Since 2019, Ukraine has participated in EUPL. Prior to and during the full scale russian invasion of Ukraine, the EUPL consortium has worked with the Ukrainian Book Institute to include a Ukrainian nominee in the 2022 edition of the Prize. Both organisations – EIBF and FEP – stand in solidarity with Ukraine and, in particular, with Ukrainian writers, translators, publishers, booksellers and librarians. Together with the book community across the world, the EUPL consortium condemns the Russian attacks and calls for the restoration of peace in Ukraine.
    
    “The EU supports young and talented writers from Ukraine. I I want to congratulate Eugenia Kuznietsova for her contribution to the European contemporary literary world. She deservedly received the special mention. This achievement points once again to the talent of Ukrainians not only in the military sphere, but also in the field of culture and creativity”, - said Matti Maasikas, EU Ambassador to Ukraine.
    
    Eugenia Kuznetsova is a Ukrainian author, translator, and researcher. She was born and spent her childhood in the village of Khomutyntsi in central Ukraine. After graduating Kyiv National University, she received her PhD in literary analysis in Spain. Now, Eugenia works in media research, focusing on conflict-sensitive reporting and countering disinformation, and translates fiction and non-fiction. So far, Eugenia has published two books. Her first book “Cook in Sorrow” published in 2020. Her second book “Ask Miyechka” was shortlisted for BBC News Ukraine Book of The Year in 2021. Now, she works on the monography on Soviet linguistic and identity policies and another novel. Both books are to be published in 2022.
    
    European Union Prize for Literature is organised by a Consortium of associations comprising the Federation of European Publishers (FEP) and the European and International Booksellers Federation (EIBF), with the support of the European Commission (through the Creative Europe program).
    
    Creative Europe is the European Commission's programme for supporting culture, creative and audiovisual sectors. The Creative Europe programme aims to fund projects and initiatives which enhance diversity and respond to the needs and challenges of cultural and creative industries. The programme supports the use of digital technologies, environmental friendliness, flexibility, adaptability, and inclusiveness. The budget of the programme is 2.44 billion euros. Ukraine became a participant of the programme in 2016. Since then, Ukrainian applicants can receive grant support in more than 20 different open calls. There is a permanent Creative Europe Desk Ukraine, which provides advisory support to Ukrainian applicants and disseminates the information about the programme.
    In foto - Yevhenia Kuznetsova