2025 Translation Awards


As we mark the five-year milestone

As we mark the five-year milestone of the Peterson Literary Fund, our celebration is tempered by the gravity of world events. Our thoughts are with the people of Ukraine as they approach the harrowing fourth anniversary of Russia’s brutal escalation of the war it launched against Ukraine in 2014 — a conflict that aggressively seeks to erase the national identity of an entire people.

Russia’s expansionist war not only poses an existential threat to our rules-based global order, but also seeks to weaponize information to divide democracies from within and, ultimately, to undermine international support for a sovereign, secure, and territorially intact Ukraine. That is why the work of writers, journalists, translators, and publishers is indispensable, and why the Peterson Literary Fund remains committed to supporting this vital community of truth tellers from all corners of our globe.

Since its debut in 2021, the Peterson Literary Fund has undertaken an annual presentation of awards, prizes, and grants, alternating biennially between books in translation and original language editions. Last year, we honoured six finalists and presented the 2024 Peterson Literary Prize for nonfiction to journalist Yaroslav Trofimov for his book Our Enemies Will Vanish. 

Our Journey for Truth Project, launched in 2023 as a designated fund in cooperation with BCU Foundation, continues to support researchers, writers, scholars, publishers, and initiatives that challenge Russian imperialist narratives and raise public awareness about the crimes committed by Russia. 

This year, we expand our public engagement by presenting the inaugural 2025 Journey for Truth Award to an exceptional international humanitarian. And we bestow our 2025 Translated Book Awards upon four outstanding publications whose authors and translators capture a wide readership, guiding them on a literary quest for truth.

Tonight’s Peterson Literary Fund Awards Gala, held under the auspices of BCU Foundation, truly embodies the dream envisioned by our founding benefactor. Thank you for sharing this special evening with us as we continue to advance our mission together.

Gala Program

A booklet titled 'Peterson Literary Fund 2025' standing upright on a table with a gold decorative pattern, surrounded by gold confetti and a blurred background with lights and floral arrangements.

2025 Gala Acceptance Speeches

An elderly man in a suit and glasses is smiling as he receives an award or certificate from a woman at a formal event. Other people are gathered in the background, clapping and smiling.

Two men in business attire sitting on stage with microphones, engaged in conversation during a panel discussion. The background features a blue curtain and a white banner with logos and text.

A banquet hall decorated for an event with round tables set with gold utensils, white napkins, glassware, and a blue and gold program booklet titled "Peterson Literary Fund 2025." A flower centerpiece with red roses, gold ornaments, and greenery is on each table. Large projection screens hang from the ceiling on each side of the stage at the front, which has a podium and flags. The room has a dark wood-paneled ceiling with recessed lighting and wall sconces.

Three people standing together at an event, smiling for the camera. The woman on the left has blonde hair, wearing a sparkly black and gold dress. The man in the middle has glasses, white hair, and is dressed in a black suit with a black, yellow, and white striped tie. The man on the right has glasses, gray hair, and is wearing a suit with a patterned shirt. They are positioned in front of a backdrop with logos, flanked by flags on the left and holiday decorations, including red poinsettias, on the right.

Past awards and grants

Powered by
►
Necessary cookies enable essential site features like secure log-ins and consent preference adjustments. They do not store personal data.
None
►
Functional cookies support features like content sharing on social media, collecting feedback, and enabling third-party tools.
None
►
Analytical cookies track visitor interactions, providing insights on metrics like visitor count, bounce rate, and traffic sources.
None
►
Advertisement cookies deliver personalized ads based on your previous visits and analyze the effectiveness of ad campaigns.
None
Powered by