Mia Couto Literary Prize

Mozambican literature was once again in the spotlight in the city of Beira, as Sangare Okapi and Eduardo Quive were named the winners of the fourth edition of the Mia Couto Literary Prize. The two writers were recognised for their works “Utsi” and “Mutiladas”, in the Poetry and Short Story categories respectively, each receiving a cash prize of 400,000 meticais.

The awards ceremony took place on 8 October in the city of Beira and was attended by Mia Couto, the patron of the initiative, the Secretary of State for Sofala Province, Manuel Rodrigues, and several prominent figures from the cultural and literary sectors.

Organised by Cornelder de Moçambique, the company responsible for managing the Port of Beira, in partnership with the Kulemba Literary Association, the prize has increasingly established itself as an important platform for promoting Mozambican writing, recognising authors who, through their words, contribute to the diversity and vitality of the country's literature.

In the Poetry category, Sangare Okapi stood out with “Utsi”, surpassing four other finalists. Eduardo Quive claimed the Short Story award with “Mutiladas”, in an edition that attracted 63 works, comprising 34 poetry collections and 29 short story works, published by 22 Mozambican publishing houses.

The entries were assessed by a jury chaired by Fátima Mendonça and comprising Adelino Timóteo, José dos Remédios, Teresa Noronha and Brazilian writer Vanessa Riambau Pinheiro, a scholar of Mozambican literature.

During the ceremony, José dos Remédios described the Mia Couto Literary Prize as “Mozambique's most important literary prize”, emphasising the significance of initiatives that encourage literary creation and raise the profile of the country's writers.

For his part, António Libombo, Deputy Executive Director of Cornelder de Moçambique, highlighted the significance of associating Mia Couto's name with the award. “His work carries Mozambique beyond its borders and inspires us to value our stories and our culture,” he said, acknowledging the writer's contribution to world literature.

Visibly delighted, Sangare Okapi and Eduardo Quive expressed their gratitude for the recognition and praised the organisers' commitment to promoting Mozambican literature.

Established in June 2023 as part of celebrations marking Cornelder de Moçambique's 25th anniversary, the Mia Couto Literary Prize was created with the aim of encouraging high-quality literary production and recognising outstanding works of poetry and short fiction each year.

Four editions on, the initiative continues to demonstrate that investing in literature also means investing in the country's cultural identity, creating opportunities for new voices to be discovered while enabling established writers to continue bringing Mozambique's stories to an ever-wider audience.