The 2024 Writers’ Trust Awards ceremony in Toronto was a night of celebration for literary excellence, but also a powerful platform for political statements. Among the key winners were Sheung-King, Martha Baillie, and Madeleine Thien, whose emotional speeches emphasized the importance of protecting LGBTQ+ rights and addressing global conflicts such as the war in Gaza.
Sheung-King’s Call for Political Change
Sheung-King, winner of the $60,000 Atwood Gibson Writers’ Trust Fiction Prize for Batshit Seven, was celebrated for his darkly humorous novel about a millennial caught in the political upheaval of Hong Kong protests. During his acceptance speech, Sheung-King used his platform to speak out against state violence and genocide, concluding with the powerful statement: “Free Palestine and ceasefire now.”
Madeleine Thien’s Generosity and Advocacy
Another evening highlight was Madeleine Thien, who won the $25,000 Writers’ Trust Engel Findley Award for her “masterful” work. Thien announced she would donate the entire prize to the Palestine Children’s Relief Fund, the Lebanese Red Cross, and the Woodcock Fund, which aids struggling writers. Her decision to support these causes reflects her commitment to using her success for meaningful change.
Baillie’s Memoir and Oliveira’s LGBTQ+ Advocacy
Martha Baillie received the prestigious $75,000 Hilary Weston Writers’ Trust Prize for Nonfiction for There Is No Blue, a poignant family memoir that explores complex relationships. Anthony Oliveira also made an impact by accepting the $12,000 LGBTQ2S+ emerging writers prize for Dayspring, urging the publishing industry to “stand up” and take action in light of rising intolerance.
Career and Special Awards for Canadian Literary Icons
The evening also honored several legendary figures in Canadian literature, including playwright Marie Clements, who received the $40,000 Matt Cohen Award. Other career prizes were awarded to Sara O’Leary (Vicky Metcalf Award for Literature for Young People) and Rita Wong (Latner Griffin Writers’ Trust Poetry Prize), both of whom were celebrated for their lasting contributions to the literary landscape.
In an evening filled with artistic triumph and heartfelt calls for change, the Writers’ Trust Awards showcased not only literary brilliance but also the power of writers to influence social and political movements.
Source: Swifteradio.com
