Artem Chekh's Novel 'Who Are You?' Shortlisted for EBRD Literary Prize

On the official website of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), it was announced that Artem Chekh's novel 'Who Are You?' has made it to the shortlist for this year's EBRD Literary Prize. This significant information was shared by the Ukrainian news agency Ukrinform.

The shortlist features ten books translated into English from nine countries where the bank operates. Among these works, the Ukrainian book 'Who Are You?' stands out as the only representative of Ukrainian literature in this esteemed list, highlighting its prominence on the international literary stage.

The translation of the novel was undertaken by Elena Jennings and Oksana Rozenblum, with the publication carried out by the British publishing house Seven Stories Press UK. This collaboration underscores the importance of Ukrainian literature in the global arena and its ability to captivate an international audience.

Representatives from the EBRD noted that this year's selected books, chosen by an independent jury, encompass significant themes such as conflict, displacement, memory, and technological futures. Among other authors whose works made it to the shortlist is Georgi Gospodinov, a laureate of the International Booker Prize, as well as former EBRD Prize winners, including writer Hamid Ismailov and translator Ellen Elias-Bursac.

The jury for this year's prize is chaired by the renowned writer, critic, and cultural journalist Maya Jaggi. The jury also includes researcher and author Lea Ipi, writer Chigozie Obioma, and non-fiction author Marek Kohn. According to Jaggi, the jury particularly noted the poetic nature, inventiveness, and boldness of the prose emerging from societies undergoing transitional crises, and sometimes wars.

The announcement of the three finalists will take place at the end of April, with the winner and their translator to be revealed on July 2 during a public ceremony at the EBRD headquarters in London. A monetary prize of €20,000 will be equally divided between the author and translator, while the authors and translators of the other two finalist works will each receive €2,000.

The EBRD Literary Prize is awarded for the best work of fiction translated into English and published by a British or European publisher. This award is one of the few international literary prizes that equally recognizes both the author and the translator, emphasizing the significance of translation in the literary process.

The literary prize was established by the EBRD in collaboration with the British Council in 2017. It aims to highlight the richness of cultures in the regions where the bank operates, including Central and Eastern Europe, Central Asia, the Western Balkans, and the southern and eastern Mediterranean. In total, the prize covers 38 countries, including Ukraine.

It is worth noting that earlier, Ukrinform reported that the Linoleum festival of contemporary animation and media art announced a competition for short animated films created using artificial intelligence (AI) technologies. This is yet another example of how Ukrainian culture is actively developing and integrating into the international context.