Honor and Achievements
Each Kashkuler brings their own unique contributions to the story we are writing together. Their achievements vary, encompassing prestigious academic scholarships, coveted festival fellowships, distinguished book awards, and significant funding milestones. This section highlights these individual successes, reflecting the diverse talents and dedication within our team.
A Kurdish story features among the best English translations of 2024!
Best Literary Translations is a new, annual anthology that celebrates world literatures in English translation in the United States. After more than 500 poems, stories, and essays were nominated for Best Literary Translations 2024, from 80 countries and nearly 60 languages, just 33 works from 19 languages were selected this year, translated by 38 of the most talented translators working today.
Farhad Pirbal’s story “The Lion,” translated by Kashkul members Jiyar Homer and Alana Marie Levinson-LaBrosse, has been selected as the sole representative of Kurdish literature in the Best Literary Translations 2024 anthology.
Jean Stein Award
Kashkul’s Founding Director, Dr. Marie LaBrosse, has been granted the prestigious PEN America Jean Stein Award for Oral History with her book, “Preservation Under Fire.” This acclaimed work delves into the lives of preservationists in Slemani, Shingal and Baghdad, who safeguard their communities’ rich cultural heritage despite immense challenges. Drawing from hundreds of hours of interviews and collaborations with archives across Iraq, Dr. LaBrosse showcases the resilience and dedication of those protecting culture under duress. She is dedicating the award to the communities who made this book possible by sharing their stories. This accolade not only celebrates her achievement but also underscores the importance of preserving cultural identity amidst adversity.
The Potato Eaters featured in the Wall Street Journal
The Wall Street Journal, a leading journal in the USA, has published Sam Sacks’ review of Farhad Pirbal’s The Potato Eaters.
Kashkul members Jiyar Homer and Alana Marie Levinson-LaBrosse have translated this collection, which was published by the US-based publisher Deep Vellum.
Slemani UNESCO Creative City of Literature
Kashkul spearheaded the application for the UNESCO Creative City of Literature with the help of the Slemani Governor, its Directorate of Culture, and major literary stakeholders in the city. On October 31, 2019, UNESCO’s Creative Cities Network welcomed Slemani into a global network of 246 cities. The network covers seven creative fields: Crafts and Folk Arts, Media Arts, Film, Design, Gastronomy, Literature, and Music. The Creative Cities are working together towards a common objective: placing creativity and cultural industries at the heart of their development plans at the local level and cooperating actively at the international level.