Lithuanian and Latvian Foreign Ministers award poet, translator, and essayist Vladas Braziūnas
On 16 October in Vilnius, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Lithuania, Kęstutis Budrys, together with the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Latvia, Baiba Braže, presented the 2025 Balts' Award to the Lithuanian poet, translator, and essayist Vladas Braziūnas.
Vladas Braziūnas is a recognised translator from the Latvian language. Thanks to him, Lithuanian readers have become acquainted with a number of both already classical Latvian authors and those of a younger generation. Translations by Vladas Braziūnas have acquainted Lithuanian readers with the works of Eduardas Aivars, Amanda Aizpuriete, Ingmāra Balode, Uldis Bērziņš, Pēters Brūveris, Māris Čaklais, Guntars Godiņš, Marts Pujāts, Anna Rancāne, Jānis Rokpelnis, Knuts Skujenieks, Inese Zandere, Egils Zirnis. The translator promotes Latvian authors' work in Lithuania, contributes to the creation and preservation of the shared Baltic cultural heritage.
Established by the Ministers of Foreign Affairs of both countries in 2018, the Balts’ Award annually honours in turn Lithuanian and Latvian natural or legal persons for their contributions and achievements in translating Lithuanian literature into Latvian or Latvian literature into Lithuanian, teaching Lithuanian in Latvia or Latvian in Lithuania, conducting research on Lithuania’s or Latvia’s tangible and intangible cultural and historical heritage, and for Lithuania and Latvia's history, culture, and tourism.
Last year, the award was given to Professor Pēteris Vanags, a Baltic linguist at the University of Latvia.
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