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A Canadian literary fund with Ukrainian roots and a global reach

2024 Peterson Literary Prize Winner

Yaroslav Trofimov is the chief foreign-affairs correspondent of The Wall Street Journal and was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize in international reporting for two consecutive years, in 2022 and 2023. Before covering the Russian war on Ukraine, he reported on most major conflicts of the past two decades, serving as the Journal’s bureau chief in Afghanistan and Pakistan and as a correspondent in Iraq. He holds an MA from New York University and is the author of two critically acclaimed books, Faith at War and The Siege of Mecca.

2024 Peterson Literary Prize Shortlist

Featured
Killer in the Kremlin
Деокупація. Історії опору українців. 2022 [De-occupation. Stories of Ukrainian resistance 2022]
Our Enemies Will Vanish: The Russian Invasion and Ukraine’s War of Independence
Бахмут [Bakhmut]
WAR AND PUNISHMENT: Putin, Zelensky, and the Path to Russia’s Invasion of Ukraine
Invasion: Russia’s Bloody War and Ukraine’s Fight for Survival

Winners 2023 Peterson Literary Fund Translated Book Awards

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ABOUT THE FUND

The Peterson Literary Fund is a unique, international awards and grants fund established by Canadian philanthropist Stanley Peterson. 

The fund was created to recognize books that promote a better understanding of Ukraine or the Ukrainian people, and whose subject matter is relevant to a global readership. The fund’s founder sought to recognize books that contribute to a positive image of Ukraine. The fund encourages publications that confront disinformation and challenge the use of Russian colonial narratives to frame Ukrainian history. The fund’s prizes, awards, and grants focus on distinguished written works that have a positive impact on the reader and are judged to be of interest to a broad diaspora audience. 

The Peterson Literary Fund is comprised of several programs, including its cornerstone literary prize, as well as translated book award, and grants for writers, translators, and publishers. The Peterson Literary Fund also supports special projects that reflect our mission to advance a better understanding of topics and issues related to Ukraine or Ukrainian identity.

In accordance with the wishes of its founder, the Peterson Literary Fund is managed by Canadian political scientist Lisa Shymko, who also serves as Chair of the Peterson Literary Fund Awards Jury.

BCU Foundation, a Toronto-based charitable foundation supporting educational and humanitarian initiatives, is the home of the Peterson Literary Fund.

PETERSON LITERARY FUND PROGRAMS:

 
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Submission Dates

It was the desire of the late Stanley Peterson — the founder of the Peterson Literary Fund — that the Literary Fund bearing his name have a Canadian-based jury composed of individuals who understand the unique historical culture of the Ukrainian people

The jury will, from time to time, include a mix of writers, editors, journalists, academics, literary translators, and other professionals qualified to undertake a balanced review and assessment of the works submitted to the various prize, awards, and grants programs offered by the Peterson Literary Fund. When warranted, the Awards Jury will have access to the Peterson Literary Fund’s advisors and international language evaluators.

In addition to their professional qualifications, members of the Awards Jury are selected with consideration to fair representation of gender, age, language competency, community engagement, and global awareness.

All books and manuscripts submitted to the various prize, awards, and grants programs of the Peterson Literary Fund will be evaluated using a particular set of JUDGING CRITERIA

2024 Awards Jury

CANADIAN ADVISORS

  • Daria Darewych

    Dr. Daria Darewych holds a Ph.D. in Art History from the University of London (UK). She has taught at York University (Toronto), and recently served as President of the Shevchenko Scientific Society of Canada. She is the recipient of several Canadian and international awards recognizing her contribution to the field of fine art and cultural education. She is the editor of several art history publications and author of numerous newspaper articles and fine art catalogues.

  • Olga Klymenko

    Olga Klymenko holds an M.A. in History (Kyiv National Taras Shevchenko University), M.A. in Central European History (Central European University) and an MSc in Research, Economic and Social History (University of Edinburgh). She currently holds a research position with the Holodomor Research & Education Consortium in Toronto, Canada.

  • Anton Sestritsyn

    Born in Crimea, Ukraine, Anton holds a Public Affairs and Policy Management degree from Carleton University. Fluent in three languages, with working knowledge of three others, his journalistic, NGO, and policy work on foreign affairs and human rights led him to advise international delegations at the UN and the U.S. Senate, as well as Canadian parliamentarians and party leaders. He has served as a senior consultant at Earnscliffe Strategy Group, and held senior executive and advisory positions with several leading Canadian firms.

  • Oksana Smerechuk

    Oksana Smerechuk has a degree in Linguistics from the University of Sydney (Australia). She was a researcher and fixer for CBC News and BBC Newsnight in Moscow in the last years of the USSR, and co-hosted Hromadske Radio’s Ukraine Calling in Kyiv. Ms. Smerechuk spearheaded Ukrainian-English interpretation and translation for Canada at the head of state-level. She was President of the International Women's Club of Belgrade, President of the Ambassadors' Spouses Club of Kyiv and contributed to the recent podcast and book edition of Ukrainian Public Radio’s Ukraine Calling.