Timothy Snyder Awarded the 2025 Vasyl Stus Prize – Ceremony Held at Ukrainian PEN

American historian and writer Timothy Snyder has received the 2025 Vasyl Stus Prize. The award was presented on September 11 at the Ukrainian PEN space in Kyiv. The organizers of the prize – Ukrainian PEN, Kyiv-Mohyla Business School, and the publishing house Dukh i Litera – honored Snyder for his significant contribution to Ukrainian culture and his unwavering civic stance.

About the Vasyl Stus Prize

The Vasyl Stus Prize is awarded annually to authors regardless of their place of residence, during their lifetime, for an outstanding contribution to Ukrainian culture and the resilience of their civic position. This year marks the 36th consecutive presentation of the award. Since its inception in 1989, more than 70 artists have been recognized.

Who is Timothy Snyder?

Snyder is a leading scholar of Central and Eastern European history, particularly Ukraine, focusing on the Soviet Union and the Holocaust. He was the first to hold the newly established James Temerty Chair in European History at the Munk School of Global Affairs and Public Policy, University of Toronto. He is a full member of the Shevchenko Scientific Society in the US, a permanent fellow at the Institute for Human Sciences in Vienna, and chair of the Academic Advisory Board of the Global Initiative for Ukrainian History. Snyder speaks five and reads ten European languages, and is the author or editor of 20 books published in 40 languages, including On Tyranny: Twenty Lessons from the Twentieth Century, Bloodlands: Europe Between Hitler and Stalin, The Road to Unfreedom: Russia, Europe, America, and On Freedom.

In his acceptance speech, Snyder said:

“There are so many Ukrainian poets and authors who can, through prose and poetry, convey the essential truth about this war. That is why I feel somewhat uncomfortable, because I personally know so many people who articulate this war through literature. I thank you deeply. In Ukraine, during the war, I cannot speak about myself, only about others from whom I am learning now and in the future.”

Jury and Ceremony

Ola Hnatiuk, jury member, scholar, professor at NaUKMA and the University of Warsaw, and advisor to the President of Ukrainian PEN, emphasized:

“The Vasyl Stus Prize is the first award Timothy has received in Ukraine. This carries deep meaning. The prize, named after a poet and citizen for whom freedom and responsibility were inseparable, goes to a person who, in times of post-truth and looming darkness, reminds the world of freedom and responsibility.”

The award was presented by philosopher and writer Volodymyr Yermolenko, President of Ukrainian PEN and head of the prize jury.

“Timothy Snyder is today one of the strongest voices in the world supporting Ukraine. His support stems from his conviction that tyranny must be resisted decisively. For him, the dissidents of Central and Eastern Europe – including Ukraine, and of course Vasyl Stus – are examples of such resistance. This award also signifies how much Ukraine values Snyder’s voice of support,” said Yermolenko.

The laureate received a statuette designed by Dmytro Pokrasyon and sculptor Stanislav Kadochnikov, along with a monetary award.

The evening concluded with Vasyl Stus’s poems read by poet and Ukrainian PEN board member Kateryna Kalytko, accompanied by a musical improvisation by Volodymyr Yermolenko. The ceremony was hosted by journalist and broadcaster Vadym Karpiak.

Additional Support Initiative

During the ceremony, organizers announced a fundraising campaign to purchase vehicles for the special forces unit Wings of Omega, which has been carrying out combat missions in Luhansk, Donetsk, and Zaporizhzhia regions since 2023.

Historical Background

The Vasyl Stus Prize is one of Ukraine’s oldest cultural awards. It was founded in 1989 by the Ukrainian Association of Independent Creative Intelligentsia, led by Yevhen Sverstiuk. Since 2016, Ukrainian PEN, Kyiv-Mohyla Business School, and Dukh i Litera publishing house have continued the tradition.

The award is given annually to writers, artists, directors, musicians, and cultural managers for their contributions to Ukrainian culture and civic resilience. The selection process includes a longlist created through ranking and a final decision by anonymous vote of the jury.

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