A number of University of Malta academics and staff members were once again among the winners of the 2023 National Book Prize awards.
Dr Christian Attard from the Department of Art and Art History won in the General Research Category with his publication The Art of Dying Well, Visual culture in times of piety and plague in Malta, 1675-1814.
Prof. William Zammit from the Department of Library Information & Archive Sciences won in the Biographical and Historiographic Research Category with Slavery, Treason and Blood: The 1749 Plot of the Slaves in Malta.
Dr David Aloisio, from the Department of Maltese at Junior College, won in the Young Adult Literature Category with his publication, Ä ganti.
Mr Dwayne Ellul, an RSO at the Department of Maltese, won the Young Adult Literature in Translation Category with Sherlock, Lupin u Jien: Il-Katidral tal-Biża’.
Ms Caroline Tonna, Curator of the Palazzo Falson Historic House Museum, won in the Best Book Production category for her book Society Fashion in Malta: The Portrait Photography of Leandro Preziosi 1830 - 1869. The volume resulted from her post-graduate research submitted to the Department of Art and Art History at the University, under the supervision of Prof. Mario Buhagiar.
The National Book Prize 2023 ceremony was held on Friday 24 November at the Magazino Hall at the Valletta Waterfront.
The National Book Prize is presented annually by the National Book Council, with winning titles chosen by an independent board of adjudicators in line with a rigorous selection process.
In his opening address, the National Book Council (NBC) Executive Chairperson Mark Camilleri hailed the significant legacy of the National Book Prize, now in its 46th edition and unwavering in its commitment to celebrating the highest achievements in literary and research publishing in Malta.
Camilleri also revealed that as of this year’s edition, all winning publishing houses will receive a €1,000 prize. The decision to introduce this new strand to the National Book Prize stemmed from an acknowledgement of the challenges faced by publishers in recent years. Camilleri highlighted a surge in submissions for poetry and drama, signalling a revival in these categories. He also underscored the strategic importance of collaborations, citing renewed partnerships and new synergies with local and international organisations to boost the global presence of Maltese literature.
In a recorded address, Minister for Education, Sport, Youth, Research and Innovation Clifton Grima described the National Book Prize as a highly important event, which works towards promoting books and reading, particularly among children and youths. The Minister expressed his appreciation for all those who ensure that the book remains central to Maltese culture.
The winning titles were selected from a shortlist of 61 titles, published in the preceding year, across fourteen competitive categories: 36 books in the eight categories for adults and 26 in the six for children and young adults (Premju Terramaxka).