Chytomo team announces members of international jury for 2024 Chytomo Award

The Award for Outstanding Achievements in Ukrainian Publishing and the Literary Sector will be presented this year in three categories, each accompanied by a monetary prize of $3,000. 

Nominees will be evaluated by a panel of seven experts in publishing and literature chaired by Iryna Baturevych, co-founder of the book-focused media outlet Chytomo, which will include:

• Radovan Auer, Director of the International Book Fair and Literary Festival Book World, Czech Republic;
• Sonia Draga, publisher and President of the Federation of European Publishers (FEP), Poland;
• Dmytro Lazutkin, Ukrainian poet, journalist, and combat veteran;
• Olha Mukha, cultural analyst, curator, project manager, PhD in Philosophy;
• Oleksandr Sushko, Executive Director of the International Renaissance Foundation, Ukraine;
• Niki Theron, Senior Manager of International Projects at the Frankfurt Book Fair, Germany;

Applications will be accepted until Dec. 16, 2024. Candidates can be nominated in three categories:

• “Book Publishing Market Trendsetter” (awarded for finding innovative approaches in publishing, transforming business creatively, and developing the Ukrainian book / literary landscape) 
• “Book Initiative that Promotes Reading” (awarded for finding new ways to deliver books to readers, creating a positive image for reading, and transforming the educational process through reading) 
• “Ukrainian Book Ambassador” (awarded to individuals for personally contributing to the visibility of Ukrainian literature worldwide and forming a positive image of Ukrainian literature and culture) 

The International Renaissance Foundation’s support and partnership make the second edition of the Chytomo Award possible. The ceremony, with finalists and jury members in attendance, will be held in Kyiv between late January and early February 2025. Chytomo will publish the jury’s results on its website. 

Chytomo is a media platform that brings together a community united by a love of texts and visual culture. Chytomo serves as a communication and discussion platform for participants in the publishing market, literary and artistic processes, reading communities, and the institutions involved in legislative, executive, and programmatic activities. 

Since 1990, the International Renaissance Foundation has worked to build an open society in Ukraine, where citizens are engaged in creating their state and where the government is transparent and accountable. The Foundation focuses on developing Ukraine in such a way that human rights are securely protected and positive changes benefit its citizens.

RELATED: Chytomo announces a call for applications for the Award for Outstanding Achievements in Book Publishing

Copy editing: Ben Angel