Camões Prize

Updated on Jan 25, 2024

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Country Brazil and Portugal Ceremony date 30 May 2016 Instituted 1989		First awarded 1989 Reward 100,000 EUR Category of Camões Prize

Presented by National Library of Brazil People also search for Neustadt International Prize for Literature

The Camões Prize (Portuguese, Prémio Camões, [ˈpɾɛmju kaˈmõĩ̯ʃ]), named after Luís de Camões is the most important prize for literature in the Portuguese language. It is awarded annually by the Portuguese Fundação Biblioteca Nacional (National Library Foundation) and the Brazilian Departamento Nacional do Livro (National Book Department) to the author of an outstanding oeuvre of work written in Portuguese. The monetary award is of €100,000, making it among the richest literary prizes in the world.

History

This award is considered the premier literary prize for an author in the Portuguese language for the entirety of their work.

The Camões Prize is awarded annually, alternating between the two countries, and based on decision of a specially designated jury. The award consists of a cash amount resulting from the contributions from Brazil and Portugal, and is set annually by mutual agreement.

The Camões Prize was first introduced by the Additional Protocol to the Cultural Agreement between the Government of the Portuguese Republic and the Government of the Federal Republic of Brazil, dated September 7, 1966, which creates the Camões Prize, signed in Brasilia on June 22, 1988, and approved in Portugal by Decree No. 43/88 of November 30, 1988.

This Protocol was replaced by a new one between the Portuguese Republic and the Federative Republic of Brazil, signed in Lisbon on April 17, 1999, approved by Portugal through Decree 47/99 in the official gazette of November 5, 1999.