Presentation of the Prix Littéraire du Quai d’Orsay (5 June 2025)
On June 4, the Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs hosted the first award ceremony for the Prix Littéraire du Quai d’Orsay.
The Archives Directorate and the Ministry’s Diplomatic and Consular Academy joined forces with the Institut Français to present this literary prize, which will be awarded each June to novels written in French that convey a desire to learn about the world and engage in dialogue with foreign countries.
Writer Omar Youssef Souleimane, author of L’arabe qui sourit (Flammarion) was awarded the first Literary Prize at the Quai d’Orsay on June 4.
🏆 Congratulations to Syrian journalist @omarsouleimane on winning the Quai d'Orsay's first-ever literary prize!
👉 With his novel “L'Arabe qui sourit”: a moving quest between exile, love and memory of a #Syria in ruins. pic.twitter.com/WWx8i7UBcE
— France Diplomacy 🇫🇷🇪🇺 (@francediplo_EN) June 4, 2025
This prize was awarded by an exceptional jury chaired by journalist Pierre Haski and composed of poet Jean d’Amérique, Barbara Cassin of the Académie Française, writer Alexis Jenni, journalist Emmanuel Khérad, Professor Isabelle Mimouni and writer Marie Ndiaye.
The Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs offers its sincere congratulations to Omar Youssef Souleimane as well as the other five finalists: Hajar Azell (Le sens de la fuite, Gallimard), Marwan Chahine (Beyrouth, 13 avril 1975, Belfond), Valérie Clo (Aziza, Buchet-Castel), Delphine Grouès (Les braises de Patagonie, Cherche Midi) and Jean-Luc Marty (Un garçon d’après-guerre, Mialet-Barrault).
The winner and the five finalists will soon leave for weeklong residencies at a French Embassy: Hajar Azell in Bogotà, Marwan Chahine in Nairobi, Valérie Clo in Ankara and Istanbul, Delphine Grouès in Athens, Jean-Luc Marty in Hanoi, and Omar Youssef Souleimane in Katmandu. Each of them will leave a work at the embassy in a form of their choosing.