The operations of Georgy Urushadze’s Freedom Letters produce books in the United Kingdom, Latvia, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Ukraine, and Russia. The books are focused mainly in Ukrainian- and Russian-language authors. The Associated Press reports that Urushadze has said he can still sell books in Russia via online outlets. In this shot, people on Moscow’s Arbat Street peruse books at an open-air fair. Image – Getty: Sapozhnikov Pavel
By Porter Anderson, Editor-in-Chief | @Porter_Anderson
Urushadze: ‘Stories Can Survive Borders, Bans, and Fear’
Several strong writeups have followed the weekend’s announcement that Georgy Urushadze is the winner of the Association of American Publishers‘ (AAP) annual International Freedom to Publish Award.
Urushadze and his “Freedom Letters” were shortlisted at the Festival du Livre de Paris in April by the International Publishers Association’s (IPA) Prix Voltaire program, which reported that Urushadze was living in the United Kingdom. There frequently is crossover between the interests of the AAP’s award and the IPA’s honor, as might be expected, a healthy exchange of information on work potentially worthy of award attention.
“In early 2023,” the Prix Voltaire’s organizers wrote, “Urushadze founded Freedom Letters. Despite Web site blocks and book bans, Freedom Letters uses various channels to circumvent censorship and deliver books to Russia, both physically and digitally.”
“Run in part by dozens of volunteers,” writes Hillel Italie for the Associated Press, “Freedom Letters operates out of Ukraine, Latvia, Georgia, and other locations, and has released hundreds of works in Russian and Ukrainian by anti-war writers and other opponents of Russian President Vladimir Putin. Notable works include Last But Not Final Words, a compilation of statements by Russian political prisoners, and Olga Grebennik’s The War Diary, a graphic novel about the Russian invasion.”
A political journalist by background and a co-founder of the Moscow-based Palmira publishing house, Urushadze, AAP points out, has also served in the past as the head of Russia’s three main literary prizes, “including the nation’s premiere award, Big Book. In 2022, he resigned these positions in protest of the Russian invasion of Ukraine,” the AAP’s laudation says, “and was consequently designated a ‘foreign agent’ by the Russian government.
“He fled the country and founded Freedom Letters to continue publishing. Several Freedom Letters authors are facing criminal charges or are currently imprisoned in Russia.”
Maria A. Pallante
“Georgy Urushadze” writes AAP president and CEO Maria A. Pallante, “has made extraordinary sacrifices in the name of free expression, demonstrated remarkable tenacity in building a thriving publishing house while in exile, and inspired people around the world with his fierce dedication to publishing authors whom others have tried to silence.
“On behalf of the board, membership, and staff of AAP, I thank everyone associated with Freedom Letters for their critically important contributions and I send our most sincere congratulations on this well-deserved award.”
In response to the news of the award, Urushadze says, “I am deeply honored to accept this award on behalf of our team of volunteers and authors.
Georgy Urushadzde
“It is no exaggeration to say that today’s award sends a message of hope to all those who believe, as we do, that every book that reaches a reader is proof that stories can survive borders, bans, and fear.
“Our thoughts are, as always, with the many authors who are currently detained or working in dangerous circumstances, and we thank AAP and its board for providing us with crucially important encouragement and inspiration that will help us continue our work.”
The Association of American Publishers reports that in the past two-and-a-half-years, Freedom Letters has published 236 books by 300 authors, with a team of 40 volunteers supporting the publishing house.
The association’s award reportedly does carry a purse, but the amount is not made public.
More from Publishing Perspectives on issues of the freedom to publish and freedom of expression is here, more on the Prix Voltaire is here, and on the International Publishers Association is here. More on the Association of American Publishers is here. More on Ukraine and Russia’s ongoing invasion of it is here.
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