The European Essay Prize for lifetime accomplishment was given to renowned author and activist Arundhati Roy this year for her essay collection “Azadi.” Here are more details on it.

The French translation of author and activist Arundhati Roy’s book “Azadi” won her the esteemed 45th European Essay Prize for lifetime accomplishment. The Charles Veillon Foundation recently broke the news.

‘Azadi’ is a compilation of articles by Roy that was published in 2021. In these essays, Roy discusses the true meaning of freedom, particularly in a society when authoritarianism is on the rise.

“The jury of the Prix Europeen de l’Essai wishes to highlight an enriching work in terms of reflection on the construction of the world and the relationship with language. Arundhati Roy uses the essay as a form of combat, analysing fascism and the way it is being structured. This is an issue that is increasingly occupying our lives. Her essays offer shelter to a multitude of people,” read a statement by the Foundation.
Established in 1975, the European Essay Prize is given to an author “who, through their writings, contributes to nourishing and spreading the evolution of thought… It draws attention to authors whose work bear witness to and offer a fertile commentary on current societies, their practices, and ideologies,” according to the Foundation.

On September 12, 2023, Roy will receive the honour at a ceremony at the Lausanne Palace; she is also scheduled to deliver a lecture at the ceremony.

Roy has already received the Booker Prize for her book “The God of Small Things” in 1997. ‘The Ministry of Utmost Happiness’ and ‘My Seditious Heart’ are a couple of her other well-known works.