Camões Prize

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 7 September 1966, which creates the Camões Prize, signed in Brasilia on 22 June 1988, and approved in Portugal by Decree No. 43/88 of 30 November 1988.^[1]

This Protocol was replaced by a new one between the Portuguese Republic and the Federative Republic of Brazil, signed in Lisbon on 17 April 1999, approved by Portugal through Decree 47/99 in the official gazette of 5 November 1999.^[2]

The first award was made in 1989, with the winner being Miguel Torga. In 2006, José Luandino Vieira became the first person to refuse the award.^[3]

The Camões Prize is considered the most prestigious literary award in the Portuguese-speaking world.^[4][5] It is awarded for a body of work that contributes to the dissemination and recognition of Portuguese language.^[6] It is awarded annually by the Portuguese Direção-Geral do Livro, dos Arquivos e das Biblioteca^[7] (National Book, Archives and Libraries Department) and the Brazilian Fundação Biblioteca Nacional^[8] (National Library Foundation). The award consists of a cash prize contributed by Brazil and Portugal. The value of the prize is set annually by agreement between the two countries, and currently stands at €100,000.

Writers in Portuguese from the Community of Portuguese Language Countries are considered for the prize. The winner is chosen by a specially designated jury, with representatives from Brazil, Portugal, and African countries with Portuguese as an official language.^[4]