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A prominent poet, many times candidate for the Nobel Prize in Literature, a member of the Krakow UNESCO City of Literature Honorary Council and of the Miłosz Festival Honorary Committee, will receive one the most prestigious literary awards in the country of Don Quixote from the King of Spain.
The Princess of Asturias Award (Spanish: Premio Príncipe de Asturias) is one of the most important awards in the Spanish-speaking world, awarded by the King of Spain Philip for major achievements in science, humanities and public affairs. The award consist of EUR 50 thousand and a statuette designed specially for that occasion by the famous Spanish artist Joan Miró. Among award-winners there are Krzysztof Penderecki (2001) and Ryszard Kapuściński (2003).
Adam Zagajewski (b. 21 June 1945 in Lviv) is a Polish poet, prose writer, essayist, academic and translator of literature. For most of his life he has been connected with Krakow. He represents the New Wave generation. He is the signatory of the Letter of 59 (1975). From 1976 his works were banned in Poland for years. From 1982 to 2002 he lived in exile in France. In 1983 he became editor of ”Zeszyty Literackie”. He had his début in 1972 with a poetry volume entitled Komunikat. His newest poetry volumes are Asymetria (2014) and Lotnisko w Amsterdamie (2016). The winner of many literary awards, including the Kościelski Foundation Award (1975), the Neustadt International Award in Literature (2004), Zhongkun China Literary Award (2013), the Jan Parandowski Polish PEN Club Award (2015) and the Griffin Prize for lifetime achievements (2016). He has been honoured with many orders and distinctions, including the Commander’s Cross of the Order of Polonia Restituta (2012) and the Legion of Honour (2016). A member of the Union of Polish Writers (1973-1983), the Polish PEN Club and the Polish Academy of Arts and Sciences.
Please remember that a meet-the-author session with Adam Zagajewski will be held during the Miłosz Festival! The poet will meet the readers on Sunday at 4:45 pm in the Festival Centre at Erazm Ciołek (17 Kanonicza Street).
More on the Princess of Duchess of Asturias Award for Adam Zagajewski here: read more (in Spanish)
Congratulations for well-deserved laurels!