Maltese author and poet Immanuel Mifsud has been formally presented with the 2026 European Homer Medal for Poetry and the Arts in recognition of his contribution to international literature.
The medal was presented by Dariusz Tomasz Lebioda, president of the European Medal for Poetry and the Arts, during a ceremony attended by Arts, Culture and National Heritage Minister Malcolm Paul Agius Galea and Arts Council Malta executive president Luke Dalli.
Mifsud is one of two writers to receive the award this year, alongside Syrian-Kurdish poet and novelist Salim Barakat.
The award recognises the depth and honesty with which Mifsud explores themes including memory, identity, family relationships, trauma and the human psyche.
Established in Brussels in 2016, the European Homer Medal for Poetry and the Arts honours writers and artists who have made a significant contribution to international literary and artistic culture.
Previous recipients include Nobel Prize-winning authors Mario Vargas Llosa and Wole Soyinka, as well as Antonio Gamoneda, Jaan Kaplinski, Reiner Kunze, Adonis, Ida Vitale and Jorie Graham.
Agius Galea said Mifsud's work was distinctly Maltese while addressing experiences that resonated with readers beyond the country.
He said the award recognised Mifsud's individual achievements, strengthened the international profile of Maltese literature and could serve as an inspiration to emerging writers working within Malta's small linguistic and publishing environment.
The minister added that the recognition highlighted the importance of creating further opportunities for Maltese writers to reach readers abroad, in line with the government's national cultural strategy.
Dalli described the award as a proud moment for Malta and its cultural sector, saying it celebrated both Mifsud's literary career and the growing international presence of Maltese literature.
He said Mifsud had demonstrated how stories rooted in local experiences could resonate internationally through their authenticity, depth and humanity,
"I believe that every honor brings with it both an obligation and a responsibility," he said.
He thanked his local publishers, Klabb Kotba Maltin and Midsea Books, as well as international publishers and translators who helped bring his work to audiences across linguistic and national boundaries.
One of Malta's leading contemporary writers, Mifsud has produced poetry, novels, short stories, memoirs, plays and literary criticism.
He received the European Union Prize for Literature in 2011 for In the Name of the Father (and of the Son) and has won several National Book Awards for poetry and prose.
Mifsud was appointed a Member of the National Order of Merit in 2014 and became the first Maltese writer to be hosted by the Library of Congress in the United States.
His work has been translated and published internationally, while he has taken part in literary festivals, readings and cultural programmes in several countries.
Arts Council Malta said it would continue working through its Internationalisation Directorate to create opportunities for Maltese writers and literary professionals to reach new audiences and participate in international publishing, translation and cultural exchange.