EU Prize for Literature 2011

On November 28, twelve authors were awarded the 2011 EU Prize for Literature (EUPL) during a gala ceremony at the Hotel Plaza in Brussels.

Besides the award of € 5,000 that every winner received, the EC translation programme gave the authors an opportunity for further promotion of their works through translation.

The awards were presented by Mrs. Androulla Vassiliou (the Commissioner in charge of Culture, Education, Multilingualism and Youth), Mrs. Doris Pack (chair of the European Parliament's Culture and Education Committee) and Mr. Bogdan Zdrojewski (Polish Minister for Culture and Heritage) in the presence of HRH Princess Laurentien of the Netherlands and other public figures from the fields of culture, literature and politics.

"The EU Prize for literature is unique. No other prize puts the spotlight in this way on the full richness of Europe's literary diversity and creativity. Moreover, the prize draws attention to new or emerging European authors and helps them reach new audiences outside their home country. I want to warmly congratulate the winners and wish them all success in touching as many readers as possible, as they certainly deserve," stressed Commissioner Vassiliou.

"Europe needs stories and storytellers: writers bring vital sparks to the minds and languages, and only change keeps cultures alive; therefore, it is always a joy to celebrate the new literary voices assuring us that culture keeps growing and changing", asserted Dr. Pirjo Hiidenmaa, President of the European Writers' Council.
The European Booksellers Federation (EBF), the European Writers' Council (EWC) and the Federation of European Publishers (FEP) shoulder the responsibility for selection of the national juries and the practical organization of the award ceremony.

Below is the list of this year's twelve winning authors:

BULGARIA
Author: Kalin Terziyski
Title: Има ли кой да ви обича,Издателство/ Is there anybody to love you (short stories)

CZECH REPUBLIC
Author: Tomáš Zmeškal
Title: Milostný dopis klínovým písmem/ A Love Letter in Cuneiform Script

GREECE
Author: Kostas Hatziantoniou
Title: Agrigento

ICELAND
Author: Ófeigur Sigurðsson
Title: Jon

LATVIA
Author: Inga Zolude
Title: Mierinājums Ādama kokam/A Solace for Adam's Tree (a collection of stories)

LIECHTENSTEIN
Author: Iren Nigg
Title: Man wortet sich die Orte selbst/ Wording the Places Oneself

MALTA
Author: Immanuel Mifsud
Title: Fl-Isem tal-Missier (tal-iben)/In the Name of the Father (and of the Son))

MONTENEGRO
Author: Andrej Nikolaidis
Title: Sin/The Son

THE NETHERLANDS
Author: Rodaan Al Galidi
Title: De autist en de postduif/ The Autist and the Carrier-Pigeon

SERBIA
Author: Jelena Lengold
Title: Vašarski Mađioničar/ Fairground Magician

TURKEY
Author: Ciler Ilhan
Title: Sürgün/ Exile

UNITED KINGDOM
Author: Adam Foulds
Title: The Quickening Maze