I
The Aleksandar Tišma International Literary Prize is awarded biannually, beginning in 2019, for literary works of fiction, under the following conditions:
1) the work must be written in any language and published in one of the three European languages – English, French or German – in the two-year period prior to the prize award date (e.g. if the prize is awarded in 2019, works published in 2017 and 2018 will be eligible for consideration; the same principle will apply for subsequent years); due to the shifting of the year of the first awarding, the works published in 2016 will also be taken into consideration at this occasion.
2) for the writer’s entire body of work.
II
The Aleksandar Tišma International Literary Prize laureate earns a sum of money and a diploma signed by the chairperson of the Foundation’s Board of Directors and President of the Jury.
III
If there is a mutual desire and legal possibility, Akademska knjiga will publish the awarded book or a book from the award-winning author’s body of work (when the prize is awarded for the writer’s entire literary output) in a limited Serbian edition, no later than one year after the prize award date.
IV
Books and bodies of work for the Aleksandar Tišma International Award can be submitted by individuals, publishers, organizations and institutions from around the world, as well as by members of the Jury. Besides the formal proposal and its exposition, the proposer is required to provide:
- no fewer than five (5) copies of the proposed work in printed or electronic form, in English, French or German.
- Or five (5) copies of three (3) major works, if the writer’s entire body of work is proposed.
The exposition should be at least 10,000 characters in length and written in English, French or German. The exposition is expected to emphasize, besides outstanding literary and artistic merit of the work, those aspects of the work, or the writer’s body of work, which affirm social, cultural and religious tolerance, present in Aleksandar Tišma’s writings, translations and editorial work.
V
The Jury elects its president from among its members, and he or she convenes meetings, presides over them and represents the Jury in contacts with the public. With the consent of all members, meetings may be conducted electronically. Simultaneous and consecutive interpretation for the Jury’s work is provided and financed by the Foundation.
VI
The Jury makes independent decisions by a simple majority of votes, after a thorough review of applications and proposals. The Jury is required to provide an adequate statement of reasons for its decision. Before the final decision, the Jury is obliged to publish the shortlist of works or bodies of work considered for the prize, no later than one month before the winner is announced.
VII
In each biannual cycle the prize can be awarded to only one winner. The prize cannot be awarded to the same author twice.
VIII
The process of selection and awarding the prize is conducted by the Jury, which is subject to the propositions laid down in the Rules and Regulations. Works by members of the Jury cannot be considered for the prize during their term. The Jury consists of no fewer than five and no more than seven members, of whom at least one and no more than two are appointed from of the Foundation’s Board of Directors. The Jury member’s term lasts four years, with the possibility of extension for a further two years. The same Jury may award the prize twice.