The organizing committee of the Jerzy Giedroyc Prize has announced the longlist of works nominated in 2026 for one of the most prestigious literary awards in the Belarusian cultural sphere.
This year’s longlist reflects the diversity of contemporary Belarusian literature, featuring works from a wide range of genres and literary forms. In accordance with the prize regulations, the jury selected 12 books published in different countries and by various publishing houses. Some of the entries are presented in encrypted form for security reasons: the authors’ real names and the titles of their works are known only to the members of the jury, reflecting the real conditions under which Belarusian literature is currently created and distributed.
The following books have been included in the 2026 longlist:
- The Carpenter of Life — Siarhei Dubaviec (encrypted entry)
- The Square — Zmitser Zalozny (encrypted entry)
- Simply Out of Love. Reportage Portraits of Memory — Hanna Kandratsiuk (Belarusian Culture Center in Bialystok, 2025)
- Cold Lands — Aliaksandr Karnaukh (Gutenberg Publisher, 2025)
- The Lyre Player — Aliaksandr Kastiukovich (encrypted entry)
- Euphoria — Maryia Parkhimchyk (Pflaumbaum, 2025)
- Train to Poznan — Aliaksei Pravalotski (Gutenberg Publisher, 2025)
- Homeland — Zbykh Slupouski (Haliafy, Maraton, 2025)
- Pain and Death in Khrotna — Dzianis Trusau (Kamunikat.org, 2025)
- One Two Three Four Two — Piotr Umanski (RozUM Media, 2025)
- Pentaquantar (Books 1 and 2) — Artsiom Shukanau (Gutenberg Publisher, 2025)
- An Attempt at the Experimental Construction of the Self (Books 1 and 2) — Maks Shchur (SayBeat, 2025)
The prize traditionally recognizes books distinguished by their artistic quality and intellectual depth while highlighting the key trends shaping contemporary Belarusian literature. The next stage will be the selection of a shortlist of six books, from which the first-, second-, and third-place winners will be chosen.
The final award ceremony will take place in Gdansk on November 7.
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