On World Press Freedom day, May 3, the Latvian PEN awards are given to honor people and organizations who have strengthened freedom of expression through their work, fought against the threat of censorship and self-censorship, and stood for the rights of discriminated groups.
Previously, Lipke's memorial director Lolita Tomsone, the Baltic Research Journalism Centre Re: Baltica, writer and activist Viesturs Ķerus, director Alise Zariņa, former President of the Constitutional Court Sanita Osipova, and the association “I want to help refugees” have received the award.
This year, the prize is awarded to Punctum for creating the Latvian version of #MeToo series giving voice to women who have suffered from sexual violence, as well as to the representation of Ukrainian literature, publishing both Ukrainian authors' works and interviews with Ukrainian writers and artists.
“By publishing translations of Ukrainian authors' works, interviews with Ukrainian writers and artists, as well as discussions on language as an instrument of political subjectivity or, on the contrary, resistance and liberation, the magazine's editorial expressed strong support for Ukrainian people, language and writers in circumstances where such assistance is vital,” said the Latvian PEN.
The Latvian PEN Award has been awarded for the fifth time. This year, the artist and illustrator Elīna Brasliņa is the author of the award.
