Kamil Özay First Book Award Ceremony to be Held on World Poetry Day
The inaugural “Kamil Özay First Book Award Competition” organized by the Culture Department of the TRNC Deputy Prime Ministry, Ministry of Tourism, Culture, Youth and Environment, in collaboration with the Turkish Cypriot Writers Union, is set to take place on March 21, World Poetry Day.
In a statement released by the Ministry, it was revealed that the award ceremony will commence at 4:00 pm at the İsmet Vehit Güney Art Center.
The Selection Committee comprises Culture Department Director and Poet Şirin Zaimağaoğlu, Poet Mehmet Kansu, President of the Turkish Cypriot Writers’ Union Prof. Dr. Şevket Öznur, as well as faculty members Assoc. Dr. Mustafa Yeniasır, Assoc. Dr. Burak Gökbulut, and Assoc. Prof. Dr. Turgay Akalın of American University of Cyprus. Zeray Uzunoğlu, Seval Unan, and Burak Erkut are set to receive honorable mentions in the competition.
This competition, which was launched as part of a five-year project by the Culture Department, had its inaugural edition in 2023 honoring Poet Writer Kamil Özay and focusing on poetry, in celebration of the 40th anniversary of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus.
In an effort to encourage and showcase emerging writers, the Culture Department plans to continue the competition series with the Mustafa Gökçeoğlu Research Category in 2024, the Hikmet Afif Mapolar Novel Category in 2025, the Fikret Demirağ Poetry Category in 2026, and the Semih Sait Umar Short Story Category in 2027.
This initiative aims to foster literary talent and celebrate the rich cultural heritage of the Turkish Cypriot community, paving the way for new voices in the field of literature.
