The jury of the Francišak Bahuševič Award has compiled a longlist of works published in 2025 and nominated for the award competition, according to Belarusian PEN.
Out of 24 works included in the full list, 12 advanced to the next stage of the competition — those that, according to the jury's assessment, not only meet the award's objectives but also most clearly and originally interpret the themes of Belarusian history, culture, and national identity.
This year, the competition once again demonstrated a diversity of approaches and forms: the longlist included both books and media projects — podcasts, blogs, and research — offering new perspectives for studying historical heritage and expanding Belarusian culture.
The award's longlist includes:
Books:
- “And they sang like this long ago: Musical folklore of the Old Believers of North-Western Belarus” — Volha Baryshnikava (Skaryna Press, London, 2025).
- “Secret Heritage. Tales about Belarusian Women”. Vol. 1 & 2 — BYPROSVET Foundation (BYPROSVET/Magenta, Warsaw, 2025).
- “Simply from Love. Reporter's Portraits of Memory” — Hanna Kandratsiuk (publishing house of the Center for Belarusian Culture in Białystok, Białystok, 2025).
- “Last Witnesses of Hrodna” — Ruslan Kulevich (self-published, Poland, 2025).
- “At 'Start' and 'Tempo': Knife throwing in the Orsha region” — Artsiom Sizinčau (Skaryna Press, London, 2025).
- “Circle of the Day” — Aliaksandra Turava (2025, encrypted participation).
- “Blood Circulation” — Yuliya Cimafejeva (Janushkevich, Warsaw, 2025).
- “Shadows of Foundations” — Milestone (2025, encrypted participation).
Media article, podcast, film, video/video series, other:
- Television project “Sarmatian Moustache” — author and presenter Cimafiej Akudovič.
- “Belarus as a 'Cultural Analogy to Colonial Africa,' or the Anti-Colonial Uprising of Communist Aliaksei Kaŭka” — Taciana Astroŭskaja (article in "Topos" magazine, Vilnius, 2025).
- Podcast “Literary Notes” — Siarhiej Dubaviec.
- Video blog about Belarusian cuisine “Pr0Food” — Siarhiej Mazan.
The Francišak Bahuševič Award, established in 1996, annually recognizes the best works dedicated to the history and culture of Belarus. It aims to support research, artistic, and media projects that strengthen Belarusian cultural space and contribute to the restoration of historical memory.
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