Estonian and Latvian foreign ministers award annual Translators Prize to poet Contra
The Latvian foreign minister Edgars Rinkēvičs is on a working visit to Tallinn on Friday, where he met with his Estonian counterpart Keit Pentus-Rosimannus. Rinkēvičs also took part in the annual 'Translators Prize' presentation, granted by the Latvian and Estonian Foreign Ministries for the best translation from Estonian to Latvian or vice versa.
The prize-giving ceremony rotates alternately between Latvia and Estonia and this year, it was presented for the sixth time.
The poet and children's writer Contra, aka Margus Konnula, is this year's winner.
Originally from Urvaste, southern Estonia, Contra is considered an “ethno-futurist” poet. Born in 1974, he has worked as an English-language teacher and a post officer, and has been a screenwriter for television and a TV anchorman. When he is not writing or translating, he runs a farm in Võru County.
The awarding of translation prize aims to inspire more translations of Estonian literature into Latvian and vice versa. It emphasizes the importance of the Estonian and Latvian languages as well as cultural exchange in order to advance the professionalism of translators of literature as well as political, popular science, historical, sociological, and other texts.
The monetary value of the award is 3,000 euros.
Editor: S. Tambur