Those of you who have followed us for a long time will know that we occasionally bestow what we have called an “Emeritus Award” for Excellence in Cultural Diplomacy. The idea was to recognize the contributions of simple individuals towards deepening educational and cultural dialogue across nations. As we honed in on our intention, however, we decided to change the name to the Citizen’s Award for Cultural Diplomacy… just in time for our 2025 award events!
The winner of the 2025 Citizen’s Award for Cultural Diplomacy is the American author Elizabeth Kostova. Her novels include The Historian and The Shadow Land, both set in Bulgaria, as well as The Swan Thief. She is currently working on her fourth novel, Mystery Play. You are cordially invited to our two award-related events in Washington DC!
- Thursday, November 6, 6:00pm: Award Ceremony at the Embassy of the Republic of Bulgaria
- Friday, November 7, 5:00pm: Reading and panel discussion at DACOR Bacon House
Kostova first 
went to Bulgaria as a student in 1989, a week before the fall of the Berlin Wall. She was struck by the beauty of the country and became deeply involved with its culture and people: “I knew I wanted to give back something to the country that inspired me as a writer.” Over the years, as Bulgaria emerged from four decades as a Cold War Soviet satellite, Kostova became acutely aware that Bulgarian authors had very few international connections or opportunities, and her conversations with both Bulgarian and American authors increasingly focused on ways to involve Bulgaria in the global literary scene.
In 2007, Kostova and Bulgarian publisher Svetlozar Zhelev established the Elizabeth Kostova Foundation (EKF), with the mission of promoting contemporary Bulgarian literature and connecting Bulgarian and Anglophone writers, translators and literary professionals worldwide. EKF’s first project was named in honor of the renowned Bulgarian translator of American literature, Krastan Dyankov (1933-99). The Dyankov Award, for the translation of an English-language novel into Bulgarian, has since become a major national and international prize. In the other direction, EKF partnered with English-language publishers in the U.S. and UK to release translations of more than twenty contemporary Bulgarian novels—a staggering achievement, considering how little Bulgarian literature had ever been available to English-language readers.
Simultaneously, EKF created an annual writer’s retreat and seminar, The Sozopol Seminars. These weeklong workshops were designed to give both emerging and established authors from Bulgaria and the anglophone world the opportunity to grow and work side by side. Since 2008, they have become internationally acclaimed, with participants describing them as a place where careers are shaped, new talents are discovered, and valuable professional and personal connections are forged. In 2009, EKF added its CapitaLiterature Festival, held in Sofia. National in significance and international in scope, this literary festival engages pressing cultural and issues—for example, immigration, identity and the climate crisis—through the lens of literature. EKF’s International Poetry Conference, held in Koprivshtitsa since 2015, similarly brings global attention to urgent cultural and social issues through poetry. Newer programs—Women in the Mountains, Leap Off Page and Youth Programs—continue to expand EKF’s mission in innovative and inclusive ways.
A veritable parade of internationally acclaimed figures have participated in EKF programs over the years: Pulitzer Prize author Richard Russo; journalist Philip Goutevitch; British novelist and essayist Rana Dasgupta; Indian novelist Kiran Desai; Nigerian author and visual artist Akwaeke Emezi; U.S. novelist and critic Garth Greenwell; US poet Linda Gregerson; bilingual Bulgarian/English author Kapka Kassabova; US/Canadian/French novelist Claire Messud; British author Kate Mosse; the Turkish Nobel Prize-winning novelist and screenwriter, Orhan Pamuk; and numerous nationally and internationally distinguished Bulgarian writers, including Georgi Gospodinov, Alek Popov, Kristin Dimitrova, Teodora Dimova and Nadya Radulova.
EKF’s impact on Bulgaria’s literary life has been profound. Throughout EKF’s existence, the tireless personal efforts, reputation and unreserved dedication of Elizabeth Kostova have been at the heart of the venture. Thanks to her vision, EKF offers us a significant example of how individuals can contribute to and involve others in cultural dialogue on a human scale—a cultural diplomacy of and by global citizens.
