Kadare wins Spanish La Risa De Bilbao award

TIRANA, Sept. 12 – Albania’s internationally renowned writer Ismail Kadare has been announced the winner of Spain’s La Risa De Bilbao, a cultural festival aimed at highlighting the importance of humour in the arts – especially in literature and graphic arts. Kadare is given the Euro 20,000 award because his sense of black humour and Kafkian irony.
The third edition of the La Risa De Bilbao International Week of Literature and Art with Humour will be held from October 2 to 7.
For Kadare who has also been placed as a favourite to win the Nobel Prize for Literature this is the second award received in Spain after the prestigious Prince of Asturias literary Prize for being “a universal voice against totalitarianism” back in 2009.
An internationally renowned poet, novelist, essayist, Ismail Kadare has been perennial candidate for the Nobel Prize for literature.
Kadare’s international acclaim for his works peaked in 2005 when he won the Man Booker International Prize. His books have been translated into more than 40 languages.