BRICS Literature Award Longlist Announced at Forum in Brazil

At the 2nd BRICS Forum “Traditional Values” in Brasília, the longlist for the BRICS Literature Award was officially announced. This new international prize supports authors whose works reflect the traditions and cultural diversity of the participating countries.

The list of nominees was presented on behalf of the award’s secretariat by poet and public figure, Union of Russian Writers member Vadim Terekhin.

The BRICS Literature Award longlist includes 27 writers from BRICS countries. Representing Brazil are Ana Maria Gonçalves, Patrícia Melo, and Ricardo Aleixo. The Russian nominees are Alexey Varlamov, Andrey Gelasimov, and Dmitry Danilov. Representing India: Jai Vasavada, Dr. Rajan Kumar, and Sonu Saini. China is represented by Ma Boyong and A Yi. The Republic of South Africa is represented by Nthabiseng JahRose Jafta, Bongeka Mhlongo, and Zainab Khan. From the United Arab Emirates: Dr. Ali Bin Tamim, Maysun Saqr, and Reem Al Kamali. Ethiopia is represented by Abere Adamu. Iran’s nominees are Mansour Alimoradi, Majid Ghaisari, and Reza Amirkhani. Indonesia: Iksaka Banu, Intan Paramaditha, and Denny JA. Egypt: Ibrahim Abdel Meguid, Salwa Bakr, and Fathi Embabi.

During a roundtable dedicated to the BRICS Literature Award, the foundation of the BRICS Literature Network was also announced—a new alliance of writers' unions, literary scholars, and publishers from BRICS countries. The initiative to create this network came from Chinese colleagues during a meeting with the China Writers Association in June 2025. The association’s goal is to promote ongoing cultural exchange, coordinate efforts in the field of literature, and support the award’s organizing committee.

A declaration on the creation of the BRICS Literature Network was signed at the forum. The document was signed on behalf of the Union of Russian Writers by proxy by State Duma deputy, member of the International Affairs Committee, and Forum Vice-President Dmitry Kuznetsov. He noted:

“I thank the President of the Academy of Literature of Brazil for the proposal to create a coordinating body for literary cooperation within our alliance of countries. The BRICS Literature Network should help not only in organizing the BRICS Literature Prize and researching traditional values of our nations but also in other important joint projects.”

The association’s governance will be carried out collegially. At present, two co-chairs have been elected: from Brazil, President of the Academy of Literature of Brazil (Academia de Letras do Brasil) Marcos Freitas; from Russia, Union of Russian Writers member Vadim Terekhin, appointed upon recommendation of Marcos Freitas. Other representatives from BRICS countries will become part of the collective body, and their nominations will be proposed at a later date.

Vadim Terekhin expressed his gratitude for the trust placed in him:

“I thank the President of the Brazilian Academy of Literature for inviting me to serve as co-chair of the BRICS Literature Network association on behalf of Russia. I promise to wholeheartedly serve the cause of cultural cooperation between our peoples.”

The value and importance of the award for cultural collaboration was emphasized by members of the award’s organizing committee from various countries.

Dr. Hemang Joshi, member of India’s Parliament (Lok Sabha) and member of the award organizing committee from India, noted:

“Art and literature know no boundaries” — realizing this, the BRICS Literary Award provides a platform to unite all literary communities and to celebrate literature at the international level. This will truly open a new chapter in the world of literature.”

Zelalem Melaku Bogale, member of the Ethiopian Parliament and of the award’s organizing committee from Ethiopia, added:

“The BRICS Literary Award is one of the unique opportunities for writers who write and spread knowledge about the culture and traditions of their country. The idea of this award will allow participating countries to know each other better through the lens of their culture and traditions, because literature is a powerful tool to tell the story and traditions of nations.”