Moldovan writer among finalists for European Union Prize for Literature

Moldovan writer and journalist Paula Erizanu has been selected for the final stage of the 2026 edition of the European Union Prize for Literature (EUPL). She is competing with the book “Here Is Both Heaven and Hell. Republic of Moldova: A Century of Lived History”, chosen as the country’s representative title at the competition.

In total, 14 books – one for each country participating in this stage – have been named finalists. The authors were nominated by national entities with expertise in the literary field and experience in promoting literature internationally.

European Commissioner for Intergenerational Fairness, Youth, Culture and Sport Glenn Micallef congratulated the finalist authors, emphasizing that literature is “a solid bridge between cultures, languages, histories and generations” and a catalyst for dialogue and mutual understanding in Europe.

“Books open up new horizons and reflect our identity, while also becoming a catalyst for dialogue and change, fostering empathy and understanding across borders,” the European Commissioner said.

The seven members of the European jury will review excerpts from all the selected works and will choose the 2026 laureate, as well as two authors who will receive special mentions.

The winners will be announced on 29 May 2026 at the Museum of Modern Art of Warsaw, during the city’s annual book fair.

Paula Erizanu’s literary career

Born in 1992, Paula Erizanu is a writer and journalist. She studied history and literature at New College of the Humanities in London, then journalism at City University London. She made her debut in 2011 with the book “This Is My First Revolution. Steal It from Me”, published by Cartier Publishing House, a book about the 2009 protests in Moldova, released in a trilingual edition.

The book received extensive media attention and was awarded the Debut Prize of the Writers’ Union of Moldova and the Prize for the Most Popular Book from the Ion Creanga National Library for Children. It was also nominated for the Observator Cultural Awards in the debut category and received the international UNESCO prize for the nicest book production of 2011 at the Leipzig Book Fair.

In 2016, she published the poetry collection “Take Care of Yourself” (Charmides). Since 2019, together with poet Alina Purcaru, she has coordinated the anthology “A Century of Romanian Poetry Written by Women”, published by Cartier in three volumes.

In 2021, with Cartier Publishing House, she released the historical novel, “The Forests Are Burning”, written with the support of a Central European Initiative grant. The book was nominated for the Sofia Nădejde Awards and for the Festival du Premier Roman de Chambéry, France.

Alongside her literary work, Paula Erizanu has contributed to international outlets, such as BBC World Service, The Guardian, the London Review of Books, as well as to Libertatea, Observator cultural, Dilema veche and Scena9. In 2019 she was nominated for the “Culture Journalist of the Year” award in the British competition Words by Women. She is currently culture editor at the London-based online magazine The Calvert Journal.

The prize brings together 41 countries participating in the Creative Europe programme

The European Union Prize for Literature rewards emerging fiction writers from the EU member states and from other countries participating in the Creative Europe programme.

The competition brings together 41 countries and, within a three-year cycle, highlights 41 new European literary talents.

The EUPL aims to showcase the diversity and creativity of contemporary European literature, to encourage the translation and circulation of works beyond national borders and to stimulate public interest in authors from other cultural spaces.