German writer Navid Kermani Wins 2017 European Cultural Foundation Prize

Navid Kermani’s life and work comprise many facets. As a writer he has produced novels, media reports, plays and children’s books and is known as a literary cosmopolitan who is never satisfied with simplistic answers or simple identities. His fiction deals with existential subjects including death, rapture and art. As an academic, Navid has displayed a detailed historical understanding of how eastern and western intellectual undercurrents intertwine. As a journalist, he has offered insightful perspectives on the acceptance of migrants, countering divisive views on refugee issues. Navid’s exceptional contribution to cultural and political debate challenges increasingly extremist narratives of discrimination and racism, arguing instead for a more nuanced view of religions and a greater solidarity in the face of fragmentation.” (excerpt from Jury Report, 2017 Princess Margriet Award)

Helga Druxes, Professor of German attended the ceremony in Amsterdam. She is the lead editor of the volume Navid Kermani in the series “Contemporary German Writers and Filmmakers” (Oxford: Peter Lang, 2016) and served as a reference for the award.

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