Edita & Ira Morris Hiroshima Foundation

The 2025 Hiroshima Peace Prize of
500,000 SEK is awarded to
PEN BELARUS

The Edita and Ira Morris Hiroshima Foundation for Peace and Culture has
decided to award its 2025 Prize to PEN BELARUS:

Motivation for the 2025 Hiroshima Prize:

Under the shadow of an increasingly repressive regime, Belarus remains
largely closed off from the world. Amid this isolation, PEN Belarus stands
as a beacon of resistance—defending freedom of expression, cultural
identity, and the rights of writers and artists at great personal and
collective risk.

By awarding the Hiroshima Prize to PEN Belarus, we wish to illuminate a
corner of Europe too often consigned to silence, and to draw international
attention to their courageous work in the face of censorship and
persecution. The organization’s steadfast efforts to protect and promote the
Belarusian language and culture push back against aggressive
Russification policies and offer vital support to a growing diaspora
community striving to remain connected to their cultural and linguistic roots.

In dark times, such efforts are more than admirable; they are necessary.
The Hiroshima Foundation for Peace and Culture is therefore proud to
recognise PEN Belarus for its moral courage, its intellectual resilience, and
its unwavering commitment to human dignity.

To us, this award is far more than a prize – it is a profound gesture of solidarity
and attention at a time when Belarusian culture, language, and civil society are
facing immense pressure. Your words resonate deeply with us. The solidarity and
support you extend empower us to continue defending democratic values and to
carry forward our work for the freedom of the Belarusian word and for those whodefend it.
We are persecuted not only for criticising the authorities, but for
refusing to accept violence and torture, and for striving for freedom while
defending our language and culture.
— Taciana Niadbaj, President of PEN Belarus, writer, human rights defender

PEN Belarus was founded in 1989 by the Committee which included 20
Belarusian writers. It was admitted to PEN International in May 1990 at
the 55th Congress on Madeira Island. Justice Ministry of the Republic of
Belarus registered PEN Belarus on November 16th 1990 on the grounds of
the Statute and the Resolution of the Council of Ministers №274 dd.
November 1st 1990 and reregistered on October 31st 1999. As a member of
PEN International PEN Belarus has a status A in the UNESCO and
consultative status in the UN.

The Edita and Ira Morris Hiroshima Foundation for Peace and Culture was
created in 1989. The Foundation presents awards to women and men who
contribute, in a cultural field, to fostering dialogue, understanding and
peace in conflict areas. The prize is usually awarded every second year, but
intervals vary.

For further information please visit http://www.hiroshimafoundation.net
PEN Sweden is a freedom of expression organisation working in support
of writers, journalists, librarians, publishers and other literary
professionals worldwide. PEN Sweden is a part of the global network PEN
International, connecting centers in around 100 countries. https://www.svenskapen.se/

The Hiroshima Prize Ceremony will take place on October 15-16, 2025 in
Stockholm, organised together with PEN SWEDEN. More information to
follow regarding the ceremony.

To contact the Hiroshima Foundation:

Chairman HC Toll: hc@hctoll.se

To contact PEN SWEDEN:

Hanna Nordell: hanna.nordell@svenskapen.se