Cypriot writer Costas Lymbouris will receive the 2025 G.F. Pierides Award from the Cyprus Writers’ Union (ELK) in recognition of his longstanding and multifaceted contribution to literature, culture and the arts.
The award ceremony will take place on Wednesday, 30 September 2026, at 7.30pm, at the Andreas Christofides Theatre at CyBC and will be dedicated to the memory of Olga Pieridou.
Award ceremony
The event will include opening remarks by Giorgos Papageorgiou, Director of the Deputy Ministry of Culture, and Constantia Soteriou, President of the Cyprus Writers’ Union.
Andreas Hadjithomas, publisher of the literary magazine Diorama, will speak about Lymbouris’ literary work, while historian and diplomat Dr Giorgos Georgis will discuss his contribution to Cypriot culture.
Composer Savvas Savva will provide a musical interlude, while writer and ELK member Evangelia Charalambous will present the ceremony.
A small reception will follow the award presentation.
The event is being held under the auspices of the Deputy Ministry of Culture.
Recognition of a long literary career
In explaining its decision, the Cyprus Writers’ Union highlighted Lymbouris’ longstanding contribution to education as well as his work within educational, literary and cultural organisations.
He has served both as an office-holder and member of boards of educational and intellectual associations, groups and organisations, as well as on Education Ministry committees responsible for book publications.
Lymbouris is an established and multiple award-winning prose writer.
Four of his short-story collections have been shortlisted for the State Literature Awards, while he has twice received a State Literature Award.
Many of his short stories have appeared in prominent literary magazines in Greece and Cyprus, commemorative volumes and literary blogs, while his work has been translated into several languages.
Contribution to cultural life
Lymbouris has also played a significant role in Cyprus’ wider literary and cultural landscape.
He served on the editorial committee of the literary magazine Ylantron and as Cultural Counsellor at the Embassy of the Republic of Cyprus in Athens.
He has held, and continues to hold, several positions of responsibility in literature and culture, including as president of the judging committee for the short-story competition organised by the cultural magazine Nea Epochi.
He has also served as a member of the committee awarding the Tevkros Anthias-Thodosis Pierides Prize and as president of the advisory committee of the Nicosia Book Festival.
Previous honours
Lymbouris has previously been recognised for his cultural contribution by the Stelios Haji-Ioannou Foundation, the Panhellenic Association of Philologists and the Association of Greek Cypriot Philologists (OELMEK).
In 2024, he was named an Honorary Member of the Cyprus Writers’ Union.
In recognition of his longstanding, diverse and substantial contribution to literature and culture, the Cyprus Writers’ Union decided during a special meeting on 5 December 2025 to award him the G.F. Pierides Award for 2025.
