Yuliya Musakovska shortlisted for The Asian Prize 2025

Ukrainian poet Yuliya Musakovska has been shortlisted for The Asian Prize for Poetry 2025. Musakovska made it to the final list with her poem “Natural Disaster.” Originally written in Ukrainian, the work was translated into English by Olena Jennings.

The theme of this year’s award was “The Earth,” as stated on the award website, and it is explored with “with striking diversity and depth.”

The selected works represent voices from across the globe, spanning Ukraine, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Botswana, Vietnam, India, Malaysia, and the Philippines. This geographic breadth reflects the prize’s commitment to creating a truly international platform for poetic expression.

The shortlist includes:

• Natural Disaster, Yuliya Musakovska (Ukraine);
• The Roots of My Feet, Danny І. Yatim (Indonesia);
• The Infinity Circle, Akuratiya Vithanage Alian Vidujith (Sri Lanka);
• The River of Thoughts, Doan Nguyen Anh Minh (Vietnam);
• Howl, Rex Tan Chwan Shiuh (Malaysia).

The winner will be revealed on Dec.15, 2025.

The jury, chaired by Ukrainian poet Iryna Vikyrchak, brings together literary voices from four continents. The panel includes Louise Bertana from the Philippines, Heather Bourbeau from the United States, Shirani Rajapakse from Sri Lanka, Dr Lame Pusetso from Botswana, Scholastica Moraa from Kenya, ensuring representation from Africa, Asia, Europe, and the Americas.

The Asian Prize for Poetry functions as a non-monetary recognition that aims to amplify diverse poetic voices and foster international literary dialogue. And the judging process emphasises both literary merit and thematic relevance, with submissions evaluated on their artistic achievement and their engagement with the annual theme.

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Main image: Nova Polshcha media