The Litera Literary Award ceremony was held today at Orbeliani Palace, organized by the Georgian PEN Center.
The President of Georgia addressed the invited guests and spoke about the importance of Georgian culture and literature in the development of the state:
“It is very important that today, here in the presidential palace, our cultural community has gathered, because the 'Litera' award has taken on a symbolic meaning; it represents one of the most important moments in the struggle for freedom.
Everyone remembers how it was established in 2021 by the minister's decision, how the rules for forming the jury were changed, and how this led to authors and publishers withdrawing their submitted books. As a result, the prize failed, but it has now been restored on a free basis. This is a symbol that fighting, not giving up, and not adapting always have meaning, especially in culture and in our daily lives.
We witnessed how the creative team of 'Metro' left the company, which is a sign that we should never accept restrictions on our freedom and our right to express ourselves. There is no society or state where there is no free culture, where there is no free expression of opinion. It is clear that literature is one of the fields that thrives only when it is free.
We have experienced periods in the life of this country marked by restrictions and significant censorship. However, despite all this, this country and its writers managed to navigate a very narrow path. It is probably largely thanks to those years of freedom that Georgian culture survived those 70 years.
We don't face the same ordeal now, but what is even more important today are the choices we must make to ensure that this country does not return to a state of censorship, where our choices are limited, where freedom of expression is restricted, and where the rights that make a free society are curtailed.
Therefore, I am happy that today we have gathered at this 'Litera' award ceremony to celebrate free writing, free culture, and the free and European future of Georgia," said the President at the 'Litera' award ceremony.
The winners of the 'Litera' award in various nominations were:
Natalie Daraselia - Easter Death (Kalmosani Publishing House) - Best Debut of the Year;
Tsotne Avsajanashvili - One Tank for Savka (Intellect Publishing House) - Best Prose Collection of the Year;
Nana Akobidze - Valauvali (Intellect Publishing House) - Best Poetry Collection of the Year;
Dalila Tsatava - Gastronomic Dreams (Intellect Publishing House) - Best Documentary Prose of the Year;
Davit Kashiashvili - What Time Is Techno (Intellect Publishing House) - Best Novel of the Year;
The 'PEN Center' Special Prize was awarded to Lasha Bugadze for his books:
Georgia Against Stalin (Sovlab); On Behalf of Georgia (Sulakauri Publishing House).
The 'Litera' Literary Award was established by the Ministry of Culture and Monuments Protection of Georgia and the House of Writers of Georgia in 2015 and was held annually until 2021.
In 2021, following a new decree from the Minister of Culture, Sports, and Youth of Georgia, the selection process for the jury was changed. This change prompted protests from the literary community, resulting in the prize failing, as 93 of the 110 books participating in the competition were withdrawn at the request of their authors and publishers.
However, at the end of 2021, at the initiative of the 'PEN Center' and with the financial support of the 'Open Society Foundation,' a competition called 'Free Literature' was held.
