On May 28, Deputy Foreign Minister of Ukraine Mariana Betsa participated in the award ceremony of the Drahoman Prize, an international award honoring translators whose work advances the global reach of Ukrainian literature and fosters greater international appreciation of Ukraine’s cultural heritage.
“Russia’s aggression is directed not only against Ukrainian statehood but also against Ukraine’s history, language, and cultural memory. In the temporarily occupied territories, Russia destroys Ukrainian cultural heritage sites, removes and destroys Ukrainian books, seeks to erase the Ukrainian language, and imposes its own imperial version of history”, - Mariana Betsa stated.
The Deputy Foreign Minister also emphasized that protecting the Ukrainian literature is an integral part of the struggle for truth. She stressed that a just and lasting peace is impossible without holding Russia accountable for crimes committed against Ukraine, its citizens, and its cultural heritage.
The Ukrainian diplomat further noted that literature is one of the most powerful instruments of cultural diplomacy, as it helps the world not only learn about Ukraine but also gain a deeper understanding of its culture, experience, and struggle.
This year’s Drahoman Prize was awarded to Nina Murray for her English translation of Lesia Ukrainka’s dramatic poem «Cassandra».
The finalists also included Alessandro Achilli and Yaryna Grusha from Italy for their Italian translation of Iryna Shuvalova’s poetry collection «Songs at the End», as well as Nils Håkanson from Sweden for his Swedish translation of Sofia Andrukhovych’s novel «Amadoka».
A special distinction was awarded to Mridula Ghosh of India for her contribution to building a shared context between two distant cultures. She was nominated for her Bengali translation of Taras Shevchenko’s «Kobzar».
On behalf of Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Andrii Sybiha, Mariana Betsa expressed gratitude to the laureate, finalists, organizers of the Prize, and the community of translators of Ukrainian literature, whose work enables Ukrainian texts to resonate in new languages, reach new readers, and bring Ukraine closer to the world—and the world closer to Ukraine.
For reference: The Drahoman Prize was established in 2020 by the Ukrainian Institute, Ukrainian PEN, and the Ukrainian Book Institute. For the second year, the Drahoman Prize has been held in partnership with the ZMIN Foundation and supports translators who introduce Ukrainian literature to international audiences and promote it abroad.