The Ilya Prize to encourage young talents

May 10, in Central House of Journalist in Moscow, a ceremony of rewarding young laureates of the Ilya Prize took place. The prize was set up in honour of young Moscow poet Ilya Tyurin, who tragically died in 1999. The fund in his memory was created by his parents, while young poets and essayists from Russia, Ukraine, and Beylorussia could participate in the competition. The Ilya Plize is a Russian prize for young literary men, which exist for already two years. The founders of the prize considered publishing of the young literary men’s books to be the best prize. In 2001, a two-volume edition was published, including works of six finalists. May 10, 2002, finalists of the second round attended at presentation of a new Ilya anthology presenting more than 30 winners of the competition. Besides poems and essays of the competitors, it includes a play of Ilya Tyurin, which has never been published, as well as memoirs about the poet, and critics. “Russia is said to become soon the real champion of the world as for the number of literary prizes. Though, it is better than to be the leader as for number of fools, bad ways, and cruel functionaries, – Irina Medvedeva, Ilya Tyurin’s mother says. - The works which have been sent to the competition signify first that talents do not grow only in Moscow and St Petersburg crests, and second – that neither our prize nor some other prizes will be superfluous.”

Yelena Yushkova specially for PRAVDA.Ru

Translated by Vera Solovieva

Read the original in Russian: http://www.pravda.ru/main/2002/05/11/40961.html