Ukrainian poet, translator and researcher Iryna Shuvalova has been awarded the Norwegian Ordknappen 2026 Literary Prize. The prize was awarded for her bilingual collection “Without Intention to Remain” (Ingen planer om å bli).
The award ceremony took place during the Norwegian Literary Festival in Lillehammer, where the writer officially represented Ukraine. The prize committee noted the author’s skill, emphasizing that in her texts, landscapes, cities, and nature come to life for readers, and the joy of seeing borders on longing for what is left behind.
Iryna Shuvalova is the author of several poetry collections (“Ran”, “Os”, “Az”, “Stone Garden”, “Final Songs”), whose works have been translated into many languages. In addition to literary activities, she is engaged in science. Having received her PhD from Cambridge University, she researches Ukrainian literature created in the context of the Russo-Ukrainian war.
The Ordknappen Prize has been awarded since 2006 by the Norwegian organization Leser søker bok. The prize is awarded to writers, translators, and illustrators for creating inclusive texts that can interest the widest possible audience, including readers who find it difficult to perceive conventional formats.
