Maltese author awarded EU Prize for Literature

This was the second European win for a Maltese author, the first being Immanuel Mifsud, who in 2011 won with his entry ‘Fl-Isem tal-Missier (u tal-Iben)’. 

Culture Commissioner Tibor Navracsics presenting Pierre J. Meljak with the EU Prize for Literature last Tuesday in Brussels.
Culture Commissioner Tibor Navracsics presenting Pierre J. Meljak with the EU Prize for Literature last Tuesday in Brussels.

Gozitan author Pierre J Meilak was awarded the European Prize for Literature yesterday, in a ceremony in Brussels.

Meilak was awarded the prize for his novel ‘Dak li l-Lejl Iħallik Tgħid'.

The prize was presented by European Commissioner Tibor Navracsis, who recently took up the Education, Sport and Youth Culture portfolio. In attendence was minister for culture and justice Owen Bonnici.

Meilak has written several books for children and young adults as well as two collections of short stories. He was awarded the Maltese prize for journalism twice and was at one time a BBC correspondent.

This was the second European win for a Maltese author, the first being Immanuel Mifsud, who in 2011 won with his entry ‘Fl-Isem tal-Missier (u tal-Iben)’. Thirteen European were awarded the prize this year.