The National Center for Books and Reading (NCBR) has announced the winners of the 2025 Youth Literary Creativity Fund. The jury, chaired by writer Ylljet Alicka and composed of literature professor Dhurata Shehri and cultural journalist Arta Marku, selected three standout works from 18 manuscript submissions.

Ena Bulku won for her novel “The Palace of Despair”, published by Ombra GVG, praised for its refined exploration of the individual’s inner world, blending erudition, poetry, and reflection on time and memory.

Arbër Selmani was awarded for “Testosterone”, a short story collection published by Albas, noted for its intuitive and stylistic approach to uncovering artistic truths.

Elvin Nuri received recognition for his poetry collection “The Invention of Scandal in an Idyll”, published by Berk, distinguished by its portrayal of urban solitude and non-decorative use of imagery.

“This fund remains one of the NCBR’s most important initiatives, as our focus has always been young creators. It aims to support and encourage new authors with their first published works—those who will continue the path of Albanian literature,” stated Alda Bardhyli, Director of NCBR.

Each year, the Youth Literary Creativity Fund enables three emerging writers to publish their debut books. This year’s ceremony gathered publishers, authors, scholars, and literary professionals.