Fiston Mwanza Mujila, a writer originally from the Congo who lives in Graz, has been awarded the 2026 Erich Fried Prize, which comes with a cash prize of 15,000 euros. We extend our warmest congratulations to him!

“Reading Fiston Mwanza Mujila or listening to his work being performed leads us to the fundamental questions of our existence and our coexistence—in all our complexity, shaped by hope, dreams, love, hubris, violence, and history. ‘How did we become who we are?’” said Daniela Seel, the sole juror for 2026, in her statement.