On 9 September, Ana Svetel, a Slovenian writer and poet, received the CEI Award for Young Writers 2025 during the opening ceremony of the 40th Vilenica International Literary Festival at Cankarjev dom in Ljubljana. The ceremony marked the beginning of the Festival's jubilee edition, gathering a diverse literary audience and guests.
Following the award presentation, there was a conversation with the laureate, led by CEI jury president Aljaž Koprivnikar, offering crucial insights into her creative process and the challenges facing emerging voices across the region. The opening evening also featured a musical performance by violinist Andrej Kopač, hosted by writer and presenter Carmen L. Oven.
The expert jury, composed of Leonora Flis, Aljaž Koprivnikar, Jaruška Majovski, Gregor Podlogar and Suzana Tratnik stated in its rationale that:
As a poet, prose writer and anthropologist, Svetel is committed to the same method in both literature and science: the careful observation of the world and the responsible transformation of experience into language. In the jury’s view, the author is one of the leading figures who view literature as a means of translating experience into language and language into a shared space.
Held annually in cooperation with the Vilenica International Literary Festival, the CEI Award for Young Writers seeks to promote emerging writers and support the dissemination of their literary works through translations into the languages of CEI countries—reflecting the Organisation’s commitment to fostering intercultural cooperation and creating opportunities for young people.
For more info: fabro@cei.int
