Romanian writer Ana Blandiana has been named the 2026 laureate of the Zbigniew Herbert International Literary Award, one of Poland’s most prestigious distinctions for poetry. The prize recognizes a living author for their entire body of work, according to the announcement from the Romanian Cultural Institute (ICR).
The award ceremony is scheduled to take place on May 27 at the National Library of Poland.
This marks the second major recognition for Ana Blandiana’s poetry in Poland, following the “European Poet of Freedom” prize awarded in 2016.
Blandiana said she was deeply moved by the distinction, noting its special significance.
“It is not the first time I receive an award, and it is not even the first Polish prize I have been given, but it is the first time that the award bears the name of and is dedicated to the memory of a poet – and a poet with whom I feel connected by destiny. Separated in time by more than a generation, Zbigniew Herbert climbed the Golgotha of the struggle against censorship before me, perhaps on an even steeper path, but the aesthetic mechanisms of resistance were the same, as were the forms of repression that failed to defeat us. The emotion of this award is linked for me not only to poetry, but also to history,” she said.
Established in 2013, the Herbert Award honors literary achievements aligned with the values reflected in Herbert’s work, including intellectual integrity and opposition to authoritarianism. Past recipients include internationally acclaimed poets such as Tomas Venclova, Durs Grünbein, and Breyten Breytenbach.
Alongside the award, the Herbert Foundation is supporting the publication of a new bilingual volume of Ana Blandiana’s poetry in Polish, titled Se face liniște în mine. The collection features 56 poems selected from her recent works and will be published by Pogranicze, translated by Joanna Kornaś-Warwas and edited by poet Jakub Kornhauser.
Ana Blandiana is also set to attend the book launch on May 28 at the Koneser Center in Warsaw, with support from the Romanian Cultural Institute.
One of Romania’s most prominent contemporary writers, Blandiana has published dozens of poetry, prose, and essay volumes and has been translated into numerous languages. Her work has been widely recognized internationally, including with the Princess of Asturias Award for Literature in 2024.
irina.marica@romania-insider.com
(Photo source: Facebook/Romanian Cultural Institute, by Paul Buciuta)
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