Egyptian author Salwa Bakr Named 1st-Ever BRICS Literary Award Winner

After deliberation by an international jury, Egyptian novelist Salwa Bakr, one of the leading voices in contemporary Arabic literature and the author of seven short-story collections, seven novels, and a play, was selected as the inaugural laureate, TV BRICS reported.

Her writing has been translated into numerous European languages.

Her victory was announced at the BRICS Art Festival, held in Khabarovsk from 26 to 30 November. 

The ceremony at the City Palace of Culture was attended by officials from Khabarovsk Krai, diplomats, writers, publishers and public figures from BRICS member states and partners. The Eurasian Media Group served as the award’s information partner.

Sergey Demensky, Ambassador of the BRICS Literary Award and Director General of the Eurasian Media Group, said that choosing Salwa Bakr sends an important message to publishers and cultural organisations across BRICS. 

He expressed confidence that her works will be translated into Russian and become known not only to literary professionals but also to a broader readership throughout the BRICS countries.

He added that Bakr’s writing reflects the essence of the award: her books speak in what he called “the language of people’s diplomacy,” enabling readers from different nations to better understand one another, relate emotionally and share common values. 

Bakr herself commented on this in a recent interview after she was shortlisted for the prize.

The official award ceremony for the winner will take place soon, with the date and location to be announced.

A special distinction, the “Innovation in Literature” prize, was awarded to Indonesian writer Denny JA for pioneering and advancing the genre of the poetic essay, which blends poetic expression with factual narrative.

Sastri Bakry, Indonesia’s National Coordinator for the BRICS Literature Network, noted the symbolism of Indonesia and Egypt both being honoured in the award’s first season.

She praised Salwa Bakr for her consistent advocacy for women and expressed pride in Denny JA’s recognition, saying he had elevated Indonesia’s cultural profile internationally.

Kumar Karan, Vice-Consul at the Consulate General of India in Vladivostok, highlighted that choosing Khabarovsk Krai as the location for the award’s final underscores its significance as Russia’s Far Eastern gateway and a cultural link among the BRICS nations.

He noted that India will host the third BRICS Traditional Values Forum, where the longlist for the 2026 BRICS Literary Award will be announced. For India, he said, this represents both an honour and an opportunity to deepen cultural cooperation, which supports stronger political, economic and social ties within BRICS.

The BRICS Literary Award is a newly established international prize created in November 2024 during the BRICS Traditional Values Forum. 

It aims to support contemporary writers whose works embody the cultural and spiritual heritage of BRICS peoples and to encourage translations and publications across member-state languages.

Each participating country formed its own directorate and jury to nominate writers who have made notable contributions to literature. 

The longlist was unveiled in Brazil; after a month of voting, one finalist from each country remained, and the shortlist was later announced in Jakarta.

Along with Salwa Bakr, the nominees were: Brazilian writer Ana Maria Gonçalves; Indian author and poet Sonu Saini; Chinese writer and columnist Ma Boyong; Emirati writer and cultural researcher Reem Al-Kamali; Ethiopian writer and public figure Abere Adamu; South African writer and poet Nthabiseng JahRose Jafta; Indonesian author Denny JA; Russian writer and essayist Aleksey Varlamov; and Iranian writer and poet Mansour Alimoradi.