Egyptian novelist Salwa Bakr Receives the BRICS Literary Award at the Cairo Book Fair

In a moment that resonates far beyond a single ceremony, Egyptian novelist Salwa Bakr was awarded the inaugural BRICS Literary Award, marking a significant shift in how global literature is seen, valued, and celebrated. The award was presented during the Cairo International Book Fair, one of the world’s most influential literary gatherings—an apt setting for an event that seeks to rebalance cultural visibility and literary power.

Bakr’s win is not merely a personal triumph. It is a symbolic acknowledgment of literatures that have long existed at the heart of human civilization yet have often been pushed to the margins of global recognition.

A Prize Rooted in Civilization, Not Fashion

In her acceptance speech, Salwa Bakr described the BRICS Literary Award as fundamentally different from many contemporary literary prizes. Unlike awards driven by market trends or Western cultural centrality, the BRICS Prize is grounded in a civilizational vision—one that recognizes literature as a cumulative human endeavor shaped by ancient cultures and diverse historical experiences.

Bakr reminded the audience that ancient Egypt was producing literature while much of Europe was still in the Dark Ages, and that Russian literature—through giants like Chekhov, Dostoevsky, and Gorky—has profoundly shaped the global moral imagination. Alongside Russian, Indian, Chinese, Brazilian, and other traditions, these literatures have collectively formed what we understand today as world culture.

In this sense, the BRICS Prize does not invent value; it restores it.

Challenging Western Cultural Polarization

Writer and novelist Doha Assi, a member of the BRICS Prize Board of Trustees, articulated one of the award’s central motivations: resisting long-standing Western cultural polarization. For decades, global readers have been subtly instructed on who deserves to be read and which literatures matter most.

The BRICS Literary Prize asks a different question:

Why shouldn’t writers of the Global South be celebrated on a truly global stage?

Assi emphasized that ideas alone are not enough—they need institutions. The prize is the result of collaboration among cultural actors from Russia, Egypt, Brazil, India, China, Indonesia, and beyond, transforming a shared vision into a lasting platform.

Literature as Dialogue, Not Hierarchy

Russian poet Vadim Terekhin, co-chair of the BRICS Literary Association, framed the prize as an invitation to deeper literary exchange. While the world knows the classics, contemporary literature from many cultures remains largely untranslated and underread. This gap, he argued, is a shared responsibility.

The BRICS Prize aims to close that gap—encouraging translation, circulation, and genuine dialogue between cultures, rather than one-directional influence.

Egypt as a Cultural Starting Point

That the first award was presented in Egypt is no coincidence. Egypt’s literary history, from Pharaonic texts to modern Arabic fiction, positions it as a bridge between civilizations. Several officials, including Aleksandr Ostroverkh-Kvanchiani, Executive Director of the BRICS Literary Award, highlighted the strength of Egyptian-Russian cultural ties and Egypt’s role as a launchpad for this new global initiative.

A message from Sergey Stepashin, Chairman of the BRICS Prize Board of Trustees and President of the Russian Writers’ Union, underscored the symbolic weight of Bakr’s win. He described her as a pioneering voice in Arabic literature—one who speaks for those often unheard—and affirmed that her selection reflects respect for Arabic literature as a shared human value.

Beyond an Award: A Responsibility

Prize coordinator in Indonesia, Sastri Bakri, emphasized that the BRICS Literary Award is not just a celebration, but a responsibility. By correcting long-standing cultural imbalances, the prize helps literature transcend borders, languages, and political geography.

The journey of the award—from its longlist announcement in Brazil (2025), to its shortlist in Indonesia, and finally to the winner announcement in Russia—mirrors its global ambition.

A Beginning, Not a Conclusion

Salwa Bakr’s recognition as the first recipient of the BRICS Literary Award does not mark the end of her journey. As Stepashin eloquently stated, it marks the beginning of the world’s journey with the BRICS Prize itself.

In honoring Bakr, the award affirms a simple yet powerful idea: literature does not belong to one center—it belongs to humanity.

And perhaps, in this moment, the world is finally ready to listen.

Source and photo: The Silk Road Today