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