Azerbaijan will introduce a major new national literary prize – the Azerbaijan Book Award – beginning in 2026.
According to APA, Deputy Minister of Culture Farid Jafarov announced the initiative during a meeting between ministry officials and young writers.
Key Features of the Award
The prize will be formally approved by a Presidential Decree and will recognize a single laureate each year.
The winner will receive:
50,000 manats in prize money,
an official diploma,
a commemorative pin,
publication of the winning book with a print run of 3,000 copies,
distribution in two countries,
translation into four languages,
full support for commercial sales – with 100% of the revenue going directly to the author.
Categories and Eligibility
Submissions will be accepted in two categories:
Prose (a novel or a short story collection),
Poetry (a collection of poems or narrative poetry).
Each publishing house may submit two works, while each literary magazine or journal may submit one fully published work.
Selection Process
Evaluation will take place in several stages:
September: An Expert Council will compile a longlist of 10 works.
November: A special commission will select a shortlist of 5 works.
Also in November, the laureate of the Azerbaijan Book Award will be announced.
Authors whose works make the shortlist – except the winner – will each receive 2,000 manats.
Televised Finale
The final ceremony will be staged as a televised show and broadcast live. Voting and results will be displayed on screen. World-renowned writers are expected to attend the event.
Replacing the Previous State Prize
The new Azerbaijan Book Award will replace the existing State Prize of the Republic of Azerbaijan in the field of literature, effectively becoming the country’s premier national literary honor.
