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The Athens Prize for Literature |
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| On Tuesday, 18 April 2007, at the Ianos Cultural Center in Athens, representatives of the (De)kata Foundation, Tzannes A.E. company, and Montblanc released a list of finalists for the new Athens Prize for Literature at a noontime press conference. Representing the foundation were Dino Siotis, noted Greek poet and publisher of (De)kata Journal; Thanassis Valtinos, a distinguished author and current president of the Greek Writers' Society; Tonia Arachova, editor of (De)kata; and Theodoros Grigoriadis, a Greek novelist and lecturer. |
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Among those selected for the "short list" announced last Tuesday were (Foreign Novels) Piere Assouline, Giasmin Gkata, E. L. Doctorow, Vladimir Kaminer, Enrique Vila-Matas, Carlos Maria Domingues, and Julie Zeh, while Greek novelists Eleni GIannakaki, Nikos Davetas, Antzela Dimitrakaki, Lily Exarchopoulou, Ioanna Karystiani, Dimitra Koliakou, and Kosmas Charpantidis rounded out the judges' choices. Two authors will receive the awards, one each from the lists of finalists for Greek novels and from the list of foreign works translated into Greek. Each awardee will receive a monetary prize of 5,000 Euros from Montblanc and a limited-number, collectors' edition of a Montblanc pen. |
 Finalists for Athens Prize for Literature announced at the Ianos Center by (De)kata foundation judges and representatives: (seated, L-R) Dino Siotis,Theodoros Grigoriadis, Thanasis Valtinos, and Tonia Arachova. |
Publishers were invited to submit works for consideration, with a number of prominent publishing houses participating in the event, among them Estia, Kastaniotis, Kedros, Melani, Opus Magnum, Patakis, and Polis. The selection process is based solely upon merit, carried out methodically and "democratically," explained Arachova. Tuesday's list of finalists have passed through several selection rounds by the literary judges, beginning in early February. Two committees of the (De)kata Foundation have been formed to judge submitted works. Dino Siotis elaborated on the qualifications of the foundation's judges: all are well-respected authors and many are also recognized literary critics. Four generations of literary expertise are represented in the committees: (Greek Novels) Thanasis Valtinos, Katerina Karokosta, Achilleas Kyriakidis, Dinos Siotis, Chrysa Spyropoulou; (Foreign Novels) Kostas Akrivos, Theodoros Grigoriadis, Ilias Maglinis, Sofia Nikolaidou, and Ersi Sotiropoulou. |
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 Dino Siotis, publisher of (De)kata speaks with journalists at Ianos Ctr. |
"The Athens Prize for Literature is the first award ever designated in Greece for foreign works," said Siotis during the press conference. Organizers have modeled some aspects of the Athens Prize after other noted awards such as the Booker Prize in Great Britain and the National Book Circle Award in the U.S. Over time, they anticipate that the Greek award will carry as much literary authority and prestige as its foreign counterparts, establishing an international reputation for Greek recipients and enhancing the visibility of contemporary Greek literature globally and contributing to an expansion of their range and quality. |
Judges will announce the names of the two awardees on 14 May 2007 at Citylink in the Athenian Stoa Spyromiliou. Journalist Maria Choukli will make the scheduled presentations, following which a reception will be held for the recipients in the newly-constructed Metochikou Tameiou Stratou building in the center of Athens. |
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 Siotis and guest discuss the Athens Prize for Literature. |
 Theodoros Grigoriadis (center) at the (De)kata Foundation press conference. |
| "Short List" of Finalists for Athens Prize for Literature Foreign Novels (translated into Greek) Piere Assouline, Hotel Lutetia, translated by Spyros Pantelakis, Polis Publishers Giasmin Gkata, Calligrapher of the Bosporus, translated by Clair Neve, Melani Publishers E. L. Doctorow, The Book of Daniel, translated by Pantelis Kontogiannis, Polis Publishers Vladimir Kaminer, The Russian Disk, translated by Sofia Michailidou, Kedros Publishers Enrique Vila-Matas, The Weakness of Modano, translated by Georgia Zakopoulou, Kastaniotis Publisher Carlos Maria Domingues, The Paper House, translated by Lena Frangopoulou, Patakis Publisher Julie Zeh, Eagles and Angels, translated by Chrysanthos Valasiadis, Opus Magnum Publisher Greek Novels Eleni GIannakaki, Ta Cherouvim tis Moketas, Estia Nikos Davetas, Lefki Petseta sto Rink, Kedros Antzela Dimitrakaki, To Manifesto tis Ittas, Estia Lily Exarchopoulou, Mia Agapi san Kerkyra, Kedros Ioanna Karystiani, Souel, Kastaniotis Publisher Dimitra Koliakou, Thermokrasia Domatiou, Patakis Kosmas Charpantidis, Ta Dora tou Panikou, Kedros |
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(Posting date 25 April 2007) For more information about (De)kata literary journal or its foundation, see its website at the URL http://www.dekata.gr or contact them directly at info@dekata.gr. For more information about Mr. Dino Siotis, the publisher of the journal and principal organizer of the foundation, see his biographical sketch at HCS and read articles he has submitted for posting at the URL http://www.helleniccomserve.com/archivesiotis.html . HCS encourages readers to view other articles and releases in our permanent, extensive archives at the URL http://www.helleniccomserve.com/contents.html. |
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