Having verified that submissions meet the technical criteria, the long list has comprised 16 translators. This year the majority of nominees translated from Ukrainian into Swedish language. Besides, the long list includes translators into English, Italian, Polish, Georgian, Finnish, Japanese, Romanian, Turkish, French, Arabic, and Bulgarian languages.

The geography of the contest is global: we received submissions from 13 countries, namely Finland, Italy, Georgia, Japan, Romania, Poland, Turkey, Vietnam, Bulgaria, India, USA, Sweden, and Egypt. The largest number of submissions was sent by foreign publishing houses, Ukraine’s diplomatic missions, and cultural institutions globally.

The long list nominees are:

• Mark Andryczyk. Translation into English: Volodymyr Rafeyenko. Mondegreen. Harvard Library of Ukrainian Literature, 2022. Nominator: member of the jury Yurii Prokhasko.

• Eero Balk. Translation into Finnish: Serhii Rudenko. Battle for Kyiv [Serhi Rudenko. Sankareiden Kiova]. Tammi, 2023. Nominator: Ukrainian Association in Finland.

• Claudia Bettiol. Translation into Italian: Olesya Yaremchuk. Our Others [Olesja Jaremčuk. Mosaico Ucraina]. Bottega Errante Edizioni, 2022. Nominator: Bottega Errante Edizioni.

• Raul Chilachava. Nominated with the translation of three books into Georgian: Markiyan Kamysh. A Stroll to the Zone; The Vocabulary of War. Anthological collection: Ukrainian authors writing about war; Taras Shevchenko. My Thoughts…. Nominator: Academic Press of Georgia-SAGA.

• Etsuko Fujii. Translation into Japanese: Taras Shevchenko. Three Years. Iwanami Shoten, 2022. Nominator: Iwanami Shoten Publishing House.

• Yaryna Grusha. Translation into Italian: Kateryna Zarembo. Rise of the Ukrainian Sun [Kateryna Zarembo. Il Donbas E Ucraina]. Linkiesta Books, 2023. Nominator: Linkiesta Books.

• Maria Hoșciuc. Translation into Romanian: Serhii Zhadan. The Orphanage [Serhii Jadan. Internat]. Cartier, 2021. Nominator: Cartier Publishing House.

• Anna Korzeniowska-Bihun. Translation into Polish: Lena Kudaieva, Polina Polozhentseva, Oksana Savchenko. Insekt. Ukrainian dramas [Lena Kudajewa, Polina Położencewa, Oksana Sawczenko. Inseкt. Dramaty ukraińskie]. Warsztaty Kultury, 2023. Nominator: Warsztaty Kultury w Liublinie.

• Katarzyna Kotyńska. Translation into Polish: Oksana Zabuzhko. The Longest Journey [Oksana Zabużko. Najdłuższa podróż]. Agora, 2023. Nominator: Embassy of Ukraine in the Republic of Poland.

• Svetlana Lavochkina. Translation into English: Dmytro Kremin. A Violin from the Other Riverside. Lost Horse Press, 2023. Nominator: Lost Horse Press.

• Mikael Nydahl. Translation into Swedish: Artur Dron. We Were Here [Artur Dron. Vi var här]. Ariel & ellerströms förlag, 2023. Nominator: ellerströms förlag.

• Olena Özbek. Translation into Turkish: Ukrainian Poetry [Ukrayna Şiirleri]. Izmir ukraynalilar dernegi, 2022. Nominator: Consulate General of Ukraine in Istanbul.

• David Szybek. Translation into Swedish: Serhii Zhadan. Voroshilovgrad [Serhij Zjadan. Vorosjilovgrad]. Ersatz, Stockholm, 2023. Nominator: Ersatz Publishing House.

• Sofia Uggla. Translation into Swedish: Yurii Andrukhovych. The Moscoviad. [Jurij Andruchovytj. Moskoviaden]. Ersatz, Stockholm, 2023. Nominator: Ersatz Publishing House.

• Olena Khomitska. Translation into Arabic: Iren Rozdobudko. 12, or Raising a Woman Under Conditions Unfit for Life. [اثنا عشر. أوتربيةاملرأةفي ظروف غيرمناسبةللحياة 12]. Cairo: Egyptian Office For Publishing & Distribution, 2023. Nominator: Embassy of Ukraine in the Arabic Republic of Egypt.

• Dimitr Hristov. Translation into Bulgarian: Lesya Ukrainka. The Boyar Lady [Леся Украинка. Болярка]. Издателство „Мултипринт“ – София, 2021. Nominator: Embassy of Ukraine in the Republic of Bulgaria.

The Drahomán Prize was launched in 2020 by the Ukrainian Institute, PEN Ukraine, and the Ukrainian Book Institute to support and acknowledge translators from Ukrainian into world languages. It is awarded for the excellence in translation and contribution to the promotion of Ukrainian literature abroad.

The shortlisted nominees and the laureate are selected by the Chapter which consists of 9 members. It comprises reputable writers, translators, linguists, literary scholars, and cultural managers. Regardless of the year, the Chapter includes the General Director of the Ukrainian Institute, the President of PEN Ukraine, and the Director of the Ukrainian Book Institute. The Chapter members have the right to involve additional experts to consult on the submitted nominations.

The laureate’s name will be announced in spring during the award ceremony. The laureate receives a statuette created by the Ukrainian artist Anna Zvyagintseva, a 3,000 EUR prize (taxes included), and additional opportunities for professional growth and promotion of works.

The German translator Claudia Dathe became the first laureate of the Prize in 2020. Also, Imadeddine Raef, a translator from Ukrainian into Arabic, was awarded the Chapter’s Special Honor “for the excellence in translation and promotion of Ukrainian classical literature.” 

The Polish translator, writer, and literary critic Bohdan Zadura became the laureate of the 2021 Drahomán Prize. The Special Honor of the Chapter “for the filigree translation of the classics of Ukrainian literary modernism and contribution to the promotion of Ukrainian literature in Europe” was awarded to Tobias Wals, a Ukrainian-to-Dutch translator. 

The French translator Iryna Dmytrychyn became the laureate of the 2022 Drahomán Prize. The Special Honor of the Chapter “for the particular contribution in translating and promoting Ukrainian literature, and in developing the Ukrainian studies in Italy” was awarded to Giovanna Brogi, a translator from Ukrainian into Italian.