Luik is a poet, prosaist and essayist who was nominated for the Nobel Prize in Literature this year.

University Rector Toomas Asser described her as "one of the most beloved writers and poets of our time".

"It is impossible to overestimate the significance of Luik's work in restoring Estonians' national vitality," he said at the award ceremony. 

"[Luik's] Work has had a great impact on the self-image and self-belief of Estonian people over a long period. Her work has also gained resonance in the European cultural space, telling the free world about the oppressive conditions in Estonia and introducing the rich culture of a small nation," he said.

Asser said Luik managed to tell the story of the Estonian nation during those most difficult times in such a way that the censors could not point the finger at anything in particular.

"With her precise and clear words, Viivi Luik helps to keep human values at the forefront also in the current turbulent times," he said.

Luik has received prestigious literary awards and cultural prizes. She has been awarded the Order of the White Star, 3rd class,

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