For the 9th edition of the European Poet of Freedom Literary Award organised by the City of Gdańsk, the jury has nominated six poets out of 22 submissions. Translations of the finalists’ collections will be published at the end of 2025, contributing to the series European Poet of Freedom – Nominations, which already includes 57 volumes. The winners of this edition will be announced in the spring of 2026. Along with the awarded poet, the translator of the winning collection will also be recognised.
The jury of the European Poet of Freedom Award has selected the following finalists for the competition: Amina Elmi (Danish) translated by Bogusława Sochańska, Nora Iuga (Romanian) translated by Enormi Stationis, Laima Kreivytė (Lithuanian) translated by Dominika Jagiełka, Luigi Nacci (Italian) translated by Joanna Ganobis, Roger Robinson (English) translated by Bartosz Wójcik, and Alicia Elsbeth Stallings (English) translated by Janusz Solarz. The jury consisted of Anna Czekanowicz, Krzysztof Czyżewski (chair), Andrzej Jagodziński (non-voting secretary), Cezary Łasiczka, Stanisław Rosiek, Anda Rottenberg, Michał Rusinek, Beata Stasińska, and Olga Tokarczuk.
The jury praised the linguistic finesse of the shortlisted poets and the depth of reflection they courageously share with readers, broadening our understanding of the contemporary world. Two of the finalists, Amina Elmi and Roger Robinson, grew up outside their countries of origin, yet their experiences of migration and multiculturalism differ significantly, and are expressed through different poetic idioms. Lithuanian author, curator, and artist Laima Kreivytė brings a strong female voice with her bold, cheeky poetry. Luigi Nacci, an Italian poet and vagabond, builds references to European culture in his ironically tainted poetic wanderings. Nora Iuga from Romania explores and touches on deeply personal and sensitive themes. And, last but not least, Alicia Elsbeth Stallings’s intricate poetry captivates readers with its refined linguistic sensibility and broad thematic scope.
Stanisław Rosiek commented: We are delighted that this edition features collections addressing previously unarticulated experiences, making them even more moving and necessary. The nominees’ poetry is deeply rooted in contemporary issues, tackling problems that affect the world and resonate with our personal lives. Yet, it avoids journalistic tones, remaining sincere and courageous in its range of personal and social explorations.
For the 2024–2026 cycle, submissions were invited from living poets writing in English, Danish, Faroese, Greek, Lithuanian, Romanian, and Italian. Each proposed language received at least one submission, and the final nominations include works written in English, Danish, Italian, Lithuanian, and Romanian. Notably, submissions are evaluated based on the language of the poet’s work rather than their nationality.
The winning poet will receive a statuette and a financial prize of 100,000 PLN, while the translator of the winning collection will receive a statuette and a prize of 20,000 PLN. The award ceremony will take place during the European Poet of Freedom Festival, to be held in Gdańsk in the spring of 2026. All nominated collections will be published in late 2025 as part of the European Poet of Freedom series.
The award is funded by the City of Gdańsk.
It is organised by the City Culture Institute.
Photos by Bartosz Bańka
