On the occasion of the European Day of Languages, the Babylon – New Generation Award for Best Student Translation 2026 was presented yesterday at Europe House Skopje. The competition is organised by the Delegation of the European Union to North Macedonia in partnership with the “Blaze Koneski” Faculty of Philology in Skopje.
The ceremony brought together emerging translators and leading voices from the literary and academic communities to mark the finale of this year’s competition and celebrate the role of literary translation in promoting linguistic diversity.
And the Best Young Translator of 2026 is…
The first prize went to Ivana Jakovova for her translation of Neil Jordan’s short story Night in Tunisia from English into Macedonian. The jury, comprising established translators, university professors and writers, praised her work for its linguistic precision and creativity, as well as its faithful rendering of the author’s voice and style.
The award was presented by European Union Ambassador Michalis Rokas. It includes a study visit to help Ivana further develop her translation skills, as well as the publication of her winning work in the annual collection of the “Blaze Koneski” Faculty of Philology. The recognition marks an important step in her journey as a translator and opens up new opportunities for professional growth.
In addition to the main prize, the jury awarded two honourable mentions. The first went to Marija Nestoroska for her translation of Elsa Morante’s short story Lo scialle andaluso (The Man with Glasses) from Italian into Macedonian. The honourable mention was presented by Prof. Dr Vladimir Martinovski, Dean of the “Blaze Koneski” Faculty of Philology.
The second honourable mention was shared by Martin Georgiev and Teodor Tasevski for their translations of Neil Jordan’s Night in Tunisia from English into Macedonian.
A Student Literary Translation Residency in Struga
Within the framework of the Babylon – New Generation competition, this year’s student literary translation residency once again brought together aspiring translators to hone their skills under the guidance of experienced mentors. From 23 to 25 April, in Struga, the students worked with Sanja Mihajlovikj Kostadinovska, Eli Pujovska and Dusko Krstevski, who guided them through a carefully designed programme of workshops and sessions exploring different aspects of the translation craft.
The residency gave students an opportunity to develop their practical and professional skills beyond the university classroom, encouraging them to explore new word formations, narrative styles and cultural contexts. Alongside gaining new knowledge and experience, the residency also helped foster new friendships and open up opportunities for future collaboration.
At the end of the residency, participants were assigned a short story to translate from one of the 24 official languages of the European Union into one of the languages spoken in the country, in line with their respective language combinations. The selected stories had not previously been translated into the local languages. The completed translations were then submitted anonymously for consideration for the Best Student Translation Award.
Babylon: Different Languages, One Shared Space for Literature
The Babylon – New Generation competition and student residency are rooted in the ideas of collaboration, intercultural dialogue and literary exchange. Inspired by the myth of the Tower of Babel, in which linguistic diversity is portrayed as both a blessing and a barrier to understanding, the initiative highlights the role of translation as a bridge between languages and cultures.
Through the competition, students have the opportunity to translate previously untranslated literary works while contributing to the preservation and enrichment of linguistic heritage. In doing so, Babylon – New Generation supports emerging translators, promotes high-quality literary translation and creates opportunities for European literature to reach a wider readership.
The next edition of the Babylon – New Generation competition will open for applications in early spring 2027, continuing its support for young translators and their role in bringing languages and cultures closer together.
