Coinciding with World Refugee Day and as part of the commemorative events for its centenary, PEN Català is announcing the Roissy-en-Brie Prize for refugee writers in Europe.
The aim is to recognize the literary talent of those who, for various reasons, have been forced to leave their country of origin. On one hand, we want to rescue those careers that may have been cut short because of exile. On the other hand, the prize also seeks to help break down stereotypes about migrants and refugees by showcasing their talents and abilities.
Who can apply?
The prize is open to people over age 16 who are recipients of or have requested international protection for humanitarian reasons.
This includes those who have or have applied for (even if the response has been negative) the condition of refugee, asylum seeker, or stateless person. This also includes people who are beneficiaries of a hosting programme by organisations dedicated to international protection.
What works can be submitted?
The prize is open to poetry written in any language.
Works will be presented in the original language in which they were written. Works written in a language other than Arabic, Catalan, English, French or Spanish must be accompanied by a translation of a selection of 10 to 20 lines into one of these languages. In exceptional cases, the organisation reserves the right to translate the text into another language so that it can be assessed by the jury.
The work must not have won awards in other literary competitions and must be unpublished as a whole. If any part has been published, it will be necessary to specify which poems or fragments have previously been published.
Each author may submit only one work to the prize selection.
How long should the works be?
The usual length of a volume of poetry, not exceeding 400 lines (4,000 words).
Prize
The winner will receive a prize of 2,000 euros and his or her work will be published in a bilingual edition in Catalan and its original language.
Deadline
Works can be submitted up to and including September 15, 2021.
Jury
Once the application deadline has passed, the composition of the jury will be made public.
Verdict
The verdict will be announced on November 15, coinciding with the International Day of the Imprisoned Writer.
