The Ministries of Foreign Affairs of Latvia and Estonia announce a call for nominations for the annual Latvian and Estonian Language Promotion Award (Languages Award).
The aim of the Languages Award is to recognise excellence and achievement related to individual contributions and accomplishments in the promotion of the Latvian language in Estonia and the Estonian language in Latvia. The winner will be announced by the Ministers of Foreign Affairs of Latvia and Estonia.
In line with the Languages Award Regulations, a translation of fiction or academic papers in various fields, research, a language learning project including journalistic programmes, articles or broadcasts on language promotion can be nominated for the Languages Award. Nominees can include language teachers at schools and higher education institutions, linguists, translators, journalists, and organisers of language learning programmes. Both individuals and institutions can be nominated for the promotion of the Latvian and Estonian languages in 2025.
The monetary value of the Award is EUR 5,000, and the Award Fund receives equal contributions from the Ministries of Foreign Affairs of Latvia and Estonia. The jury includes representatives from the Ministries of Foreign Affairs of Latvia and Estonia as well as language and literature experts of both countries.
The Languages Award will be presented for the seventeenth time. Previous winners of the Languages Award are Maima Grīnberga (2009, 2012), Guntars Godiņš (2010, 2013, 2018), Kalev Kalkun (2011), Margus Konnula alias Contra (2014, 2024), Valts Ernštreits (2015), Livia Viitol (2016), Rūta Karma (2017), Ilze Tālberga (2019), Lembit Vaba (2020), Daila Ozola (2021), Hea Lugu Publishers (2022), and Karl Pajusalu (2023).
The Languages Award nominations for 2025 can be submitted until 12 March 2026.
The applications with the Curriculum Vitae of the nominees must be submitted in English to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Latvia by e-mail: pasts@mfa.gov.lv or by post to K. Valdemāra iela 3, Rīga, LV-1395 with reference to “Languages Award”.