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THE National Book Council yesterday announced the winners of the 2020 Na- tional Book Prize for books published in Malta in 2019. The Prize celebrates the highest achievements in literary and re- search publishing across nine competi- tive categories. Owing to the extraordinary circum- stances, the awards ceremony was held online, and for the very first time broad- cast to the public on the National Book Council's Facebook page and website. The streamed ceremony was hosted by veteran TV broadcaster John Demanue- le. In his opening speech, National Book Council (NBC) Executive Chairperson Mark Camilleri noted that 2020 has been a difficult year for the book in- dustry, which was particularly hard-hit by the economic crisis left in the wake of the ongoing global pandemic which followed a period of political turmoil. Nonetheless, publishers and authors have kept to their work, as has the Na- tional Book Council with events like the Malta Book Festival. Once again celebrating literary cul- ture, on the occasion of the National Book Prize the Council is awarding the best books published in 2019, and their authors and publishers, with deserved acknowledgement for their invaluable work. Despite the disruption brought on by the pandemic, the seed of civilisa- tion represented by books remains well ingrained in our social fabric. Looking towards the future, Camilleri observed that with the significant support of the Council, the industry needs to keep strengthening and consolidating its dig- ital transition and to bring books to the online realm. The shortlist for the 2020 National Book Prize contained 44 titles, pub- lished in 2019. The winners included the novel Il-Wiċċ l-Ieħor (Horizons) by Ġorġ Peresso, the short-story collec- tion Għall-Glorja tal-Patrija!: Kapriċċi Patrijottiċi (SKS Publishers) by Aleks Farrugia, and the book of plays Żewġ Drammi: Appuntamenti/Repubblika Immakulata (published by the author) by Simone Spiteri. In the research cat- egories, Arnold Cassola's The Joannes Gennadius Maltese Treasure Trove in Athens (Malta University Press) won the Prize for General Research, and Ir-Redentur: History, Art and Cult of the Miraculous Effigy of Christ the Re- deemer at Senglea, Malta (Midsea Books, Senglea Collegiate Chapter) ed- ited by Jonathan Farrugia won the Prize for Biographical and Historiographic Research. The Prize for Literary Non- fiction was awarded to Murder on the Malta Express: Who Killed Daphne Caruana Galizia? (Midsea Books Ltd.), co-authored by Carlo Bonini, Manuel Delia and John Sweeney. The Unreality of Realism: An Insular Perspective on the Development of Modern Art authored by Giuseppe Schembri-Bonaci and pub- lished by Horizons won the Prize for Best Book Production. The Prizes in the categories for Poetry in English and Translation were not awarded. John Aquilina won the first prize for Poetry in Maltese with his collection Tluq (Edizzjoni Skarta). Having previ- ously won the National Book Prize for Poetry in 2011 for his first collection Leħnek il-Libsa Tiegħi, Aquilina is al- so the recipient of the Poet Laureate Award. The Award for Best Emergent Writer went to Lara Calleja. The Life- time Achievement Award, in recogni- tion of an accomplished literary career and long list of publications including plays, short stories, novels, and non-fic- tion, was conferred on Trevor Żahra. Minister for Education and Employ- ment Justyne Caruana congratulated all shortlisted and winning authors for their work and remarked on the im- portance of fostering a healthy reading culture from a young age, perhaps also with a book as Christmas gift. Reading not only boosts creativity, but also con- tributes towards a developed society that enjoys the participation of active, critical-thinking citizens. The impor- tance of a writer's work and reading, Minister Caruana added, is well under- stood by the Government, which is why authors' royalties from book sales will be taxed at a 15% flat-rate from Janu- ary 2021 as part of the latest national budget measures. H.E. President George Vella's opening words paid tribute to the late Prof. Oli- ver Friggieri, one of the greatest writers and thinkers of our time, whose writ- ings will remain a valuable part of Mal- ta's literary heritage, just as they have already been a source of inspiration for many writers. President Vella observed that books and reading are key to suc- cess, foundational for young people as they mature into tomorrow's leaders, but also deeply tied to the universal val- ues of empathy, respect and a genuine interest in that which is different. Occasions such as the National Book Prize, the President noted, provide an important opportunity for the country to show its appreciation for the efforts of local writers and publishers who maltatoday | SUNDAY • 20 DECEMBER 2020 4 ART National Book Prize winners Above: Żewġ Drammi by Simone Spiteri, and Arnold Cassola's The Joannes Gennadius Maltese Treasure Trove in Athens