The Ministries of Foreign Affairs of Latvia and Estonia announce a call for nominations for the Latvian and Estonian Language Promotion Award (Languages Award).
The aim of the Languages Award is to recognize excellence and achievement related to individual contributions and accomplishments in the promotion of the Latvian language in Estonia and the Estonian language in Latvia. The winner will be announced by the foreign ministers of Estonia and Latvia.
In line with the Languages Award Regulations, a translation of fiction or academic papers in various fields, research, a language learning project including journalistic programmes, articles or broadcasts on language promotion in Estonia or in Latvia can be nominated for the Languages Award. Nominees can include language teachers at schools and higher education institutions, linguists, translators, journalists, organisers of language learning programmes. Both individuals and institutions can be nominated for the promotion of the Latvian and Estonian languages in 2024.
The monetary value of the Award is EUR 5,000 and the Award Fund receives equal contributions from the ministries of foreign affairs of Latvia and Estonia. The jury of the prize includes representatives from the foreign ministries of both countries as well as language and literature experts.
The Language Promotion Award is presented for the sixteenth time. Previous winners are Maima Grīnberga (2009, 2012), Guntars Godiņš (2010, 2013, 2018), Kalev Kalkun (2011), Margus Konnula alias Contra (2014), Valts Ernštreits (2015), Livia Viitol (2016), Rūta Karma (2017), Ilze Tālberga (2019), Lembit Vaba (2020), Daila Ozola (2021), Hea Lugu Publishers (2022), and Karl Pajusalu (2023).
The nominations deadline for achievements in 2024 is 26 May 2025.
Please send the contest application and the nominee’s CV in English by email to estk@mfa.ee or by regular mail to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Estonia, Islandi väljak 1, Tallinn, 15049, Estonia, with reference to “Language Award”.