House of Europe Award Announces Winners Across Nine Categories

On May 7, the first-ever House of Europe Award ceremony took place in Kyiv, celebrating people and organisations that strengthen cooperation between Ukraine, the European Union, and the United Kingdom through culture, education, media, translation, cultural heritage, and European integration. 

The ceremony brought together diplomats, cultural managers, educators, journalists, civil society representatives, and members of the House of Europe alumni community.  

A total of 463 applications were submitted across nine categories. Following several stages of evaluation, expert juries selected 69 finalists and 9 winners whose projects demonstrated resilience, international collaboration, and long-term impact despite the challenges of the full-scale war. 

Each winner received a financial award of EUR 1,500, a diploma, and a specially designed House of Europe Award statuette. 

Winners of the House of Europe Award 2026 

Best International Cultural Cooperation 

Awarded to cultural projects created in collaboration with international partners during the full-scale invasion. 

Winner: Sense of Safety. The Bridges of Solidarity by YermilovCentre.
 

Best International Educational Cooperation 

Awarded to educational or youth projects implemented through cooperation between Ukraine, the EU, and the UK, creating spaces for growth and exchange. 

Winner: Dual Degree Master Programme ‘Information technologies for sustainable energy engineering’ by Ivano-Frankivsk National Technical University of Oil and Gas and London South Bank University.
 

Best International Media Cooperation 

Awarded to media projects developed in cooperation between Ukraine and partners from the EU or the UK, demonstrating responsible work with topics and facts. 

Winner: ‘The Information Front’ by Odesa Photo Days.
 

Best Translated Publication 

Awarded to book publications that have filled important gaps and expanded Ukrainian readers’ access to European and British literature through high-quality translation into Ukrainian and thoughtful promotion. 

Winner: Komora publishing house, ‘The Melancholy of Resistance’ by László Krasznahorkai, translated from Hungarian by Oleksandr Veseleni
 

Excellence in Cultural Heritage Preservation 

Awarded to outstanding projects that preserve, research, and protect Ukraine’s cultural heritage. 

Winner: ‘Ukrainian Heritage Digitization and Dissemination Initiative’ by Scientific and research lab Archaїc.
 

Promoting the Culture of National Communities 

Awarded to projects created together with national minorities in Ukraine or dedicated to preserving their identity and developing their culture. 

Winner: ‘Crimean Fig (Qırım inciri)’ by Crimean House.
 

Leader in European Integration 

Awarded to organisations from Ukraine, the EU, or the UK that have been working systematically on Ukraine’s EU integration for over five years and have achieved measurable results. 

Winner: European Pravda.
 

Representation of Ukrainian Culture in the EU and the UK 

Awarded to organisations from Ukraine, the EU, or the UK that create opportunities for artists to be seen and heard internationally. 

Winner: Ukrainian Contemporary Dance Platform.
 

Leader in Culture 

Awarded to professionals who have chosen to remain in Ukraine to set direction for the sector, strengthen partnerships with the EU, and inspire others. 

Winner: Nina Khyzhna, a theatre director, performer, and cultural manager, co-founder of the independent theatre Nafta in Kharkiv.
 

The event also featured a discussion around the book Lessons for the Brave World, published by House of Europe together with The Ukrainians Media. The book brings together 32 reflections on how Ukrainians live, work, and create during wartime uncertainty. The discussion focused on whether international audiences are ready to engage with conversations about war and Ukrainian experiences through culture and storytelling. Participants included editor-in-chief of the book Olha Perekhrest, activist and artist Diana Berg, House of Europe programme head Franziska Simon, and writer Oleksandr Mykhed as moderator. 

The ceremony took place on the eve of Europe Day, highlighting the importance of solidarity, cooperation, and shared values between Ukraine and Europe. 

More information about winners is available on the award’s website. For additional questions, contacts us at award@houseofeurope.org.ua.  

About: 

House of Europe is a programme funded by the European Union and implemented by Goethe-Institut Ukraine fostering professional and creative exchange between Ukrainians and their colleagues in EU countries and the UK. 

The programme focuses on different professional fields: culture and creative industries, education and youth work, social entrepreneurship, and media. An additional priority is put on supporting the national minorities of Ukraine. 

This encompasses 15+ separate programme lines enabling Ukrainians to carry out personal projects, or to enrol in courses, conferences, and internships in the EU and the UK. The programme funds cultural cooperation and literature translation between Ukraine and the EU and the UK, along with the revitalisation of cultural infrastructure. House of Europe supports the safeguarding of Ukrainian cultural heritage, the development of creative businesses and media projects, and the holding of cultural events outside the Kyiv bubble. Various learning and matchmaking opportunities, such as Digital Labs, workshops, discussions, conferences, and hackathons, are offered.