Latest news with #SvetlanaAlexievich
Korea Herald
03-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Korea Herald
Svetlana Alexievich awarded Korean international peace prize
Belarusian writer and journalist Svetlana Alexievich has been awarded the 6th Jeju 4·3 Peace Prize. Established in 2015, the Jeju 4·3 Peace Prize honors the spirit of reconciliation and coexistence demonstrated by the people of Jeju in addressing the legacy of the April 3 Incident and the subsequent Jeju Massacre. Jeju 4·3 refers to the tragic governmental crackdown and civilian massacre that took place on the island from 1947 to 1954. Presented biennially, the prize recognizes individuals who have significantly contributed to peace, human rights, democracy, and social integration worldwide. Born in 1948 in Ukraine, Alexievich is an investigative journalist, essayist and oral historian who writes in Russian. She was awarded the 2015 Nobel Prize in literature 'for her polyphonic writings, a monument to suffering and courage in our time,' becoming the first Belarusian writer to receive the honor. Throughout her career, the 76-year-old writer has documented the suffering and resilience of vulnerable individuals -- particularly women and children -- who endured historical tragedies such as World War II, the Soviet-Afghan War and the Chernobyl disaster. Alexievich writes "novels of voices," according to the Nobel committee, using interviews with a wide range of subjects to create a tapestry of reportage. One of her most renowned works, 'The Unwomanly Face of War,' sheds light on the experiences of women whose voices were often neglected in male-dominated war narratives. 'Alexievich has not only supported the values of democracy through her literary work but has also embodied the principles of peace through both her writing and her life,' said the Jeju 4·3 Peace Foundation. The Jeju 4·3 Peace Foundation will hold the award ceremony on April 29. The prize includes a plaque and a cash award of $50,000.
The Independent
25-02-2025
- Politics
- The Independent
Dozens of Nobel laureates urge Trump to help release Belarusian political prisoners
Dozens of Nobel prize winners have urged US president Donald Trump to help release thousands of political prisoners locked up in Belarus. The 33 Nobel laureates, including Belarusian writer Svetlana Alexievich, called on Mr Trump to take ' urgent action' to secure their freedom. It comes as Mr Trump's administration sided with North Korea, Belarus and Russia in refusing to condemn Vladimir Putin's invasion of Ukraine. 'We urge US president Donald Trump and the leaders of the European Union to take urgent measures to secure the release of all political prisoners in Belarus,' the laureates said in an open letter. Up to 1,400 political prisoners including teachers and doctors are in Belarusian jails, according to human rights group Viasna. Many of Belarus' most prominent opposition figures are behind bars while others fled abroad as authorities cracked down severely on opponents as protests gripped the country in 2020. The violent crackdown followed an election that the opposition and Western governments said Alexander Lukashenko had heavily rigged. Since then, more than 35,000 people have been arrested, with allegations of beatings in custody, while dozens of independent news organisations and rights groups have been shut down. 'Europe has not faced a humanitarian catastrophe of such scale caused by political repression since the totalitarian regimes of the 20th century,' the letter read. 'More than 300,000 people have been forced to leave the country, and thousands have become victims of torture and ill-treatment. 'The international community cannot remain indifferent when thousands of innocent people are suffering from political repression.' The 33 signatories include literature prize winners Svetlana Alexievich of Belarus and peace prize winners Jose Ramos-Horta, Jody Williams, Dmitry Muratov and Oleksandra Matviichuk. 'The fates of thousands of people depend on the decisive and coordinated actions of the international community,' the letter read.
