Gratiaen Trust collaborates with NYU Abu Dhabi

Pulitzer prize-winning poet Prof. Gregory Pardlo to chair Jury for 32nd Gratiaen Prize

by damith
October 27, 2024 1:03 am 0 comment 395 views

Gregory Pardlo

The Gratiaen Trust, in association with John Keells Foundation, has entered into a partnership with New York University Abu Dhabi (NYUAD) for the 32nd Gratiaen prize. This collaboration will see Prof Gregory Pardlo – a Pulitzer prize-winning writer and the Head of the Literature and Creative Writing Program of NYU Abu Dhabi in the Arts and Humanities academic division – heading the Gratiaen prize jury in addition to participating in a number of other activities that will contribute to the enrichment of the literary arts in Sri Lanka.

The Trust’s collaboration with NYUAD marks another milestone in its three-decade-long commitment to fostering literary arts in the country. Given NYUAD’s strong focus on the liberal arts and its highly regarded Literature and Creative Writing Program, this collaboration marks another significant step where the Trust has facilitated connections between Sri Lankan creative writers and international Anglophone writing and publishing – a central part of the mission of the Gratiaen Trust that its founder Michael Ondaatje envisaged.

Prof. Pardlo said that he is “looking forward to participating in and contributing to Sri Lanka’s dynamic and exciting literary scene. This partnership deepens NYUAD’s commitment to the region and its varied and rich forms of cultural expression.”

Co-chairs of the Gratiaen Trust, Nisreen Jafferjee and Nafeesa Amiruddeen said, “This partnership not only adds international prestige to The Gratiaen Trust but also opens new avenues for Sri Lankan authors to engage with a global audience, particularly as this year’s event includes both the 32nd Gratiaen prize and the HAIG prize for Translations. The Trust’s collaboration with NYUAD will enable a greater exchange of ideas, resources, and opportunities for Sri Lankan writers and translators to further develop their craft and reach new markets.

NYUAD’s collaboration, coming at a time when Sri Lankan writers or those associated with Sri Lanka have won prestigious international recognition such as the Booker Prize, The Women’s prize for Fiction and the Nebula Award provides inspiration for Sri Lankan writers to dream big and see themselves as part of the global literary scene.”

The Gratiaen prize has established itself as the most coveted recognition for English-language creative writing in Sri Lanka. Each year, a panel of three distinguished judges—a writer, an academic, and an informed reader—brings a balanced and holistic perspective to the judging process. These carefully curated judging panels and their expertise ensure that the best literary talent on offer each year is recognised and celebrated.

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