Last night was all about the magic of words and creativity. The State Literary Awards for 2024 were handed out, honoring top literary talents.
Deputy Minister of Culture, Dr. Vasiliki Kassianidou, was there to present awards in various categories like Poetry, Novel, Short Story/Novella, Study/Essay, New Writer, Literature for Young Children, Literature for Older Children and Adolescents, and the Illustration Award for a Literary Book.
In her speech, the Deputy Minister congratulated the winners, saying their work plays a big role in keeping literary creation alive. She emphasized how important words and human experiences are today.
The ceremony was directed by Achilleas Grammatikopoulos. The artistic program featured poems by Kostas Montis, live music from Christina Georgiou, and contemporary dance by Elena Christodoulidou.
The reasons for the awards were shared by Dr. Katerina Karatasou, President of the State Literary Awards Committee for Children and Adolescents; Dr. Konstantinos Georgiou, President of the Illustration Committee for Children’s and Adolescents’ Books; and Dr. Konstantinos Bouras, a member of the State Literary Awards Committee.
Eleni Kefala won the State Award in Poetry for her book “Direct orient: poems,” while Kyriakos Margaritis took home the Novel Award for “Event 74.” In Short Story/Novella, Andreas Maloris was recognized for his collection “Almost Everything: stories.” Pantelis Voutouris received the Study/Essay Award for “Somewhere in Cyprus, in Preveza County…,” which introduces Kostas Montis’s poetry.
The New Writer Award went to Alexandros Chronidis for “By the Rivers of Babylon,” and Marina Michailidou-Kadi won in Literature for Young Children with her book “Hot Chocolate.” Anna Kouppanou was honored in Literature for Older Children and Adolescents for her work “When the Sea Left Us.”
Marina Michailidou-Kadi, sister of Elita Michailidou, was awarded for her book “Hot Chocolate” in Literature for Young Children.
The Illustration Award for a Literary Book for Children and Adolescents went to Chrysso Charalambous for illustrating Areti Katsantoni’s book “The Moon in Paris.”
Dr. Kassianidou also shared that a new category called “Folk Poetry” will be added to the 2025 State Literary Awards. Plus, there’s a plan to support publications with Cypriot themes that will be announced in 2026.
