Panos Statoyanis Awarded the Prize of the Union of Translators in Bulgaria for Overall Activity in the Field of Translation from Bulgarian into a Foreign Language
On September 30, 2021, the Greek writer and translator Panos Statoyanis was awarded by the Union of Translators in Bulgaria for overall activity in the field of translation from Bulgarian into a foreign language, for the popularization of Bulgarian literature and culture in Greece.
Panos Statoyanis was nominated by the Embassy of the Republic of Bulgaria in Athens with the support of the State Institute for Culture under the Minister of Foreign Affairs. The reason to pay attention to the overall translation activity of Mr. Statoyannis is the book published in Greece in March 2021 with short stories by Elin Pelin "Lost Word" (in Greek: "α λόγια που ειπώθηκαν", λου και διηγήματα του Ελίν Πελίν). The translation is by Panos Statoyanis, the author of the foreword is Thomas Stergiopoulos. In a very well thought out and aesthetically designed edition, a meaningful preface by the translator introduces the reader to the social and literary context of Bulgaria in the first half of the 20th century and the place Elin Pelin occupies in it, highlighting watershed moments from his creative and personal biography.
Panos Statoyanis (1959) is a graduate of Sofia University, majoring in Journalism and Mass Communications, and specializes in Sociology of Mass Communications. He is the author of 11 books (poetry and prose), numerous screenplays for television documentaries. He has translated over 30 (mostly from Slavic languages) foreign authors, works with various Greek publishers. His books, poems and texts in prose have been translated into a number of languages, including Bulgarian. He lives and works in Athens. He worked at the National Television of Greece ERT.
Panos Statoyannis has a presence in Greek literary life, and his name is well known in Bulgarian literary circles. He was one of the co-founders in 1990 of "Ah, Maria - Magazine for Literature and Other Delights", one of the leading figures in his editorial board, a tireless translator. He has translated most of the books by Bulgarian authors published in Greek in the last 25 years, such as Yordan Radichkov's “Acoustic Pot”, three of Vera Mutafchieva's novels: “The Jem Case”, “Alcibiades the Little” and “Me, Anna Komnina”. “The Strange Knight of the Holy Book” by Anton Donchev, “Mission London” by Alek Popov, “Rodosto, Rodosto” by Sevda Sevan,“Danube Bridge” by Georgi Mishev,“Balkan Sinner” by Dimitar Kirkov, Anthology of Balkan Poetry “Hemus” , "Balkanoir", an anthology of the Balkan crime story - three Bulgarian novelists and others.
With the decision of the specialized jury of the Union of Translators in Bulgaria, the highly artistically recreated in Greek by Panos Statoyanis significant literary works of Bulgarian classics and modernity and his multifaceted contribution to the promotion of Bulgarian literature and culture in Greece receive well-deserved recognition in public and are noted with dignity.