The Struga Poetry Evenings Festival (SPE) and UNESCO announce the competition for the 2020 Bridges of Struga international poetry award for the best debut book by a young author, published in 2019.

The Bridges of Struga award was established in 2003, as part of the extensive collaboration with UNESCO, on the occasion of the World Poetry Day – 21st of March, thus trying to stimulate, promote and affirm the poetic works as one of the most significant creative expressions of the mankind. Each year, SPE and UNESCO celebrate this day together, with the joint announcement of the names of the recipients of the Golden Wreath and the Bridges of Struga awards.

Previous recipients of the Bridges of Struga award are: Angelo V. Suárez (Philippines) 2004, Andrea Cote (Colombia) 2005, Marianna Geide (Russian Federation) In 2006, Manua Looking At The List (Belgium) 2007, Antonia Novakovic (Croatia) In 2008, Ousmane Sarrouss (Senegal) 2009, Siim Kera (Estonia) In 2010, Hiroshi Taniuchi (Japan) 2011, François-Xavier Maigre (France) 2012, Nikolina Andova Shopova (Macedonia) 2013, Harry Man (Great Britain) 2014, Paula Bozalongo (Spain) 2015, Runa Svetlikova (Belgium) 2016, Goran Čolakhodžić (Croatia) 2017, Pauli Tapio (Finland) 2018, Monika Herceg (Croatia) 2019.

The competition is open until the 5th of February 2020, by which date all books and entries must arrive at the postal address of the Struga Poetry Evenings, or in an electronic form, according to the conditions stated below.

Conditions for participation in the competition for the award:

– Debut books of young poets (35 years or younger), published in 2019;

– The candidates should send 3 copies of their debut book with which they enter the competition, as well as at least 5 poems translated in English, at the postal address of the Struga Poetry Evenings (P.O. box 109, 6330 Struga, Republic of North Macedonia) or through the National Commission of  UNESCO of the member state. The books must arrive at the address of SPE no later 5th of February 2020. The applications should be submitted at the e-mail address of SPE:  bridges.struga@svp.org.mk. The entrant should also send the ISBN number together with the 3 books in printed form.

– The National Commissions of UNESCO are invited to receive the applications and notify the Struga Poetry Evenings about the entries

– The award includes a statuette, money prize and publication of the book of the laureate in Macedonian.

– The laureate will be announced on the World Poetry Day, 21st of March 2020.

– The laureate will be invited to participate in this year’s edition of the International Poetry Festival “Struga Poetry Evenings” in Struga, North Macedonia, in late August 2020, where the award will be handed out during the “Bridges” event.

Struga Poetry Evenings and UNESCO

 

Struga Poetry Evenings

Brakja Miladinovci 5
P.O. Box 109
6330 Struga
Republic of North Macedonia
Tel +389 46 786 270
struga@svp.org.mk
www.svp. org.mk