On Friday, 27 November, in Vilnius, Lithuania, the Baltic Assembly (BA) 2009 prizes for literature, the arts and science were awarded. 

Inga Ābele from Latvia received the Prize for Literature for her novel Paisums (High Tide, 2008). In presenting the award to Inga Ābele, Ērika Zommere, head of the Latvian delegation to the BA, commented: “Ābele’s novel High Tide has turned out to be a trumpet-call to re-evaluate today’s Latvianness. This work is high-quality literature that transcends strictly national boundaries.”

In receiving the award, Inga Ābele stressed the significance of Baltic unity: “The Baltic United States could finally be established in our Baltic consciousness by drawing a magic red yarn around our Baltic States.” The writer acknowledged that “we have culture, we have land; our children are growing up bright and smart and, above all, we have our own story and freedom”.

The BA Prize for the Arts in 2009 was awarded to Estonian artist Marko Mäetamm for professional and successful exhibitions and for his achievements in art during recent years. The jury had previously acknowledged that his works invite everyone to reflect on human values even in this difficult time when our lives are largely ruled by bank loans.

This year the BA Prize for Science was awarded to Leonardas Sauka from Lithuania for his studies on folklore heritage in Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia and other countries titled Eglé žalčių karaliene (Eglė, Queen of Adders). Members of the Judging Committee acknowledged that the future of small countries is tied to ethnography, and thus Leonardas Sauka’s contribution to research will enable future generations to better understand the past.

The BA Prize was established in 1994 with the aim to facilitate development of literature, arts and science in the Baltic States and to recognise the most excellent achievements in these spheres. The monetary prize is EUR 5000.

Other candidates for the BA Prize:

In Literture 
• Romualdas Granauskas (Lithuania), prose writer, playwright, was nominated for the archetypical imagery and vivid portrayal of the identity of the three Baltic nations and his active participation in the process of creation of cultural values, as well as the narratives Šunys danguje (Dogs in Heaven, 2005), novels Kenotafas (Cenotaph, 2005) and Rūkas virš slėniu (Fog over the Valleys, 2007).

• Ene Mihkelson (Estonia), poet and prose writer, was nominated for her historical philosophical novel Katkuhaud (Plague Grave, 2007), in which she focuses on identity problems in the course of the time and relies on traditions within the happening of things.

In the Arts
• Antanas Žukauskas (Lithuania), artist, sculptor, was nominated for professionally communicating values of the past in the fine arts, striking the right balance between the modern and the traditional, and for promoting the Baltic identity in the world. 
• Juris Karlsons (Latvia), composer, professor, was nominated for his high-quality creative achievements in the field of symphonic music during the past three years. 

In Science
• Dr. Mārtiņš Boiko (Latvia) was nominated for his monograph Lietuviešu sutartines un to Baltijas konteksti (Lithuanian sutartines and Their Baltic Contexts), in which he examines and compares old Lithuanian, Latvian and Estonian melodies. The researched material testifies to the cultural and historical link among the Baltic States, as well as to similarities in their folklore traditions and rites. 
• Gabrielle Hogan-Brun, Uldis Ozoliņš, Meilute Ramoniene, Mart Rannut, Ina Druviete nominated for the monograph Language Politics and Practices in the Baltic States (2009) – an overview of the language situation which examines recent changes, as well as the linguistic, political and social consequences of language policy both locally and internationally.

Information on the BA Prize
The BA Prize was established in 1994 with the aim to facilitate development of literature, arts and science in the Baltic States and to recognise the most excellent achievements in these spheres. 
The BA Prize for Literature is awarded to an author of a novel, play, collection of poetry, stories or essays written in Estonian, Latvian or Lithuanian. The first publication of the work should be within the past three years.
The BA Prize for the Arts is awarded to an author or performance artist for a piece of art or a cycle of works in the fine arts, applied arts, music, architecture, theatre or cinema that has been created during the past three years. This prize can also be awarded to a director, soloist, actor, ballet dancer or a group of performance artists for excellent artistic performance presented within the past three years.
The BA Prize for Science is awarded to the author of an outstanding scientific work or a research series in the humanities, social sciences or sciences if the work has international relevance, facilitates development of science in the Baltic region and has been published during the past three years.

Information on the Baltic Assembly
The Baltic Assembly is an interparliamentary cooperation organisation of Latvia, Estonia and Lithuania which was founded on 8 November 1991. The Baltic Assembly consists of 12 to 20 members from each country’s parliament. The Baltic Assembly is a coordinating and consultative organisation which has a right to express its opinion to national parliaments, governments and the Baltic Council of Ministers in the form of resolutions, decisions, declarations and recommendations; it can also request answers from these institutions on activities regarding cross-border issues that are on the BA agenda.

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