The Hertfordshire Press Award for outstanding achievements in shaping and promoting the literary heritage of the Eurasian countries in the international space took place on 29 November during the eighth international festival Eurasian Creative Week in Greenock, Scotland, immersing participants in a wonderful pre-Christmas atmosphere.
The ECW festival events and awards ceremony brought together creative people and diplomats from 15 countries around the world. Literary figures who have published their books with the UK publisher Hertfordshire Press over the past two years were traditionally awarded certificates and statuettes for their professional excellence and for building humanitarian ties both within the countries of the Eurasian space and beyond.
During the ceremony, prizes were awarded in the categories of “Bestseller”, “Critics’ Choice”, “Best Adaptation for Children”, “Best Love Story”, “Best Epic” и “Best Female Writer”.
In the “Bestseller” category, which reflects the unconditional recognition of the readership based on book sales data, the prize went to Alexander Kazarnovsky (Israel) for his suspense novel ‘Voina Plan Pokazhet’ (War will tell the further plan), which were published in Russian in 2023. It should be noted that the novel was published in English by Hertfordshire Press a year earlier and was also well received by the public, becoming one of the publisher’s top 10 bestsellers. The Gold Certificate of Recognition in this category was awarded to Timur Akhmedjanov (Uzbekistan), a young artist originally from Uzbekistan, for the second volume of the charity comic book ‘Elish and the Wicker Tale’, published in English in 2024. Timur decided to create the comic after being inspired by a book by Azerbaijani writer Kamran Salayev. ‘Elish and the Wicker Tale’ is a comic book about a boy named Elish who has socialisation problems, but as the story progresses, Elish overcomes his problems. The comic, like the original book, deals with the challenges faced by children with autism spectrum disorders in adapting to society. The first volume was published in 2021, and the project has since been supported by hundreds of people from 25 countries.
The Critics’ Choice category has always been one of the most important awards, highlighting not only the talent of the author, but also the relevance of his work, its relevance to the challenges of the times and the highest literary expression. The prize in this category was solemnly awarded to Viktor Slipenchuk (Russia) for his collection of novels and short stories “Zinziver”, published in English in 2024. The translator of the book was Anton Kovalenko (Canada), who introduced the author at the ceremony, and the editors of the English translation were Francesca Mepham and Laura Hamilton (UK). It is worth noting that the novel ‘Zinziver’ was previously published in French and Chinese, as a symbol of the development and strengthening of international humanitarian and cultural ties, which was also emphasised by Marat Akhmedjanov, the head of Hertfordshire Press. “Language and tradition are among the most important manifestations of culture. And we are proud to have specialised in translating Eurasian authors into a wide range of languages and publishing their books in London for over 20 years, making their work available to a global audience,” he added. The Gold Certificate of Recognition in this category was awarded to young writer Alikhan Zhaksylyk (Kazakhstan) for his novel ‘Is It Necessary to Worship at Notre Dame’? Thanks to the support of the Department of Culture, Archives and Documentation of the Aktobe Region (Kazakhstan), the book by Alikhan Zhaksylyk, a very young but already well-known writer in his homeland, has been published by the British publisher Hertfordshire Press. The book was translated into English by such eminent people as the award-winning Kazakhstani translator Bakhtygul Makhanbetova (Kazakhstan) and the editor, translator and writer John Farndon (UK), and the author was introduced at the ceremony by the distinguished journalist and Kazakhstan expert Bruce Gaston (Ireland).
The Best Adaptation for Children category recognises an incredible contribution to the development of future generations, for it is children’s literature that is always associated with the greatest expectations and the most rigorous criticism. The prize in this category was solemnly awarded to Gulchehra Begim Makhmudova (Uzbekistan) for the first in a series of children’s books ‘The Legends of the Great Silk Road: Adventures Of The Spirit Of Time’, to be published in English in 2024. It is worth noting that three more books in the same series will soon see the light of day, making the legends of the Great Silk Road available to the world’s youngest readers. At the ceremony, the author was introduced by Anna Lari (UK), Festival Director and co-founder of the Eurasian Creative Guild (London), who noted that it is always a pleasure to see how experts and readers recognise the achievements not only of authors, but also of ECG (London) Guardians – people who voluntarily and gratuitously support and develop culture and creativity. Gulchehra-begim Mahmudova is a member of the Guardian Council, as are Alexander Kazarnovsky and Viktor Slipenchuk.
The Best Love Story category remains one of the most coveted for many authors year after year, as love stories remain the most sought-after of the ‘eternal themes’ for the reading public. The prize in this category was solemnly awarded to Gulsifat Shahidi (Tajikistan) for her collection of her most iconic works, ‘Labyrinths of Loneliness’, published in English in 2024. The publication includes three works that have become modern classics and reveal Gulsifat Shahidi’s writing talent in a variety of genres. The novella that gives the collection its title, ‘Labyrinths of Loneliness’, is as complex and multifaceted as a detective story; ‘Protect Me’ is a wonderfully heartfelt fantasy tale; and ‘Akhriman, Lord of Darkness’ is a social drama. All three works are built around an understanding of the nature of love, showing the reader its various shades and manifestations – from the delightful to the terrifying. The author was introduced at the ceremony by a family member.
The main prize in the ‘Best Epic’ category went to the poem ‘Narqyz’ by Nurpeis Baiganin, an outstanding Akyn of Kazakhstan. The poem reflects both the impressive heritage of Kazakh national culture, its traditions and spirit, and the incredible relevance of the role of women in modern realities. The poem tells of the adventures of a beautiful young women, Narkyz – a talented Akyn and an outstanding warrior. The peripeteia of the plot and the steadfastness of the main heroine attract the reader from the first to the last page. The book was published in English in 2024 by the Nurpeis Baiganin Foundation for the preservation and promotion of his literary heritage with the support of KazAK. Yerbolat Baiganin, the author’s grandson and director of the foundation, received the award at the ceremony.
Another statuette was won by life coach Marina Alyasova (Kazakhstan) for her collection of psychological fairy tales ‘Wise Tales For Children And Adults’ in the ‘Best Female Author’ category. This book won the hearts of the expert jury with its kindness and wisdom. The plot of the book is simple and familiar to every parent – a mother helps her young daughter to understand the complex and confusing adult world by telling her funny and instructive stories, through which the child learns to see the good and to understand herself and her place on this planet. The judges were particularly impressed by the book’s gentle, feminine approach, free of moralising and preaching, and imbued with respect and love. It is noteworthy that the book was published as part of the Maria Shevel Prize, which Marina won in the children’s literature category of the Open Eurasia 2023 literary contest. The book and author were introduced at the awards ceremony by editor and translator Jonathan Campion, who worked on the English-language adaptation of the work.
All the shortlisted books are now available from the publisher’s official online bookshop, discovery-bookshop.com.
Hertfordshire Press would like to thank Margo Gamburgskaya (Uzbekistan) for making the award statuettes for the Hertfordshire Press Award ceremony.
