Creative Europe Desk Malta is happy to announce that Lara Calleja, with her book Kissirtu Kullimkien and Joe Pace, with his book Papa Aħmed are the 2 Maltese authors shortlisted for this year’s European Union Prize for Literature. Both books are published by Merlin.

Joe Pace’s Papa Aħmed is an action-based work of fiction about the first Maltese Pope, and Lara Calleja’s Kissirtu Kullimkien is a series of short stories revolving around the destructive impact the construction industry is having on the Maltese islands.

The European Union Prize for Literature (EUPL) is an annual initiative that recognises emerging fiction writers in Europe. It is financed by the Creative Europe programme of the European Union, a framework aiming at strengthening Europe’s cultural and creative sectors.

Across cycles of three years, the EUPL includes 41 countries participating in the Creative Europe programme and awards one winning author per country. Its aim is to recognise outstanding new literary talents from all over Europe, to promote the circulation and translation of literature amongst European countries, and to highlight the continent’s creativity and diversity.

This year’s edition will award winners from 14 countries: Albania, Armenia, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Iceland, Latvia, Malta, Moldova, the Netherlands, Portugal, Serbia, Slovenia, Sweden, Tunisia.

The winner will be announced on 18 May 2021.