Turkish-French literary award to Hakan Günday

PARIS – Anadolu Agency

The prestigious Turkish-French Literature award has been given to author Hakan Günday this year for his novel “Ziyan.”

In a written statement, the president of the award committee, journalist-writer Kenize Murad, said the award would be presented to Günday at a ceremony to be held on Nov. 26 in Paris.

The award is given every year to a Turkish or French writer who writes an essay or a novel on Turkey. Last year, Turkish author Dilek Yankaya received the award for her academic research book, “La Nouvelle Bourgeoisie Islamique, le Model Turc” (The New Islamic Bourgeoisie and the Turkish Model).

The award committee also includes Ali Kazancıgil, Gaye Petek, Timur Muhittin, Alexandre Jevakhoff, Nedim Gürsel and Venus Khoury Gata, in addition to Murad.

Günday is known for his books “Kinyas and Kayra,” “Zargana” and “Azil.” Günday had said in the past he was curious about Ziya Hurşit, who was executed for an assassination attempt on Mustafa Kemal Atatürk. Günday brought Hurşit and a “blacklisted” solider together for “Ziyan.”