2017
The seventh IAFOR Vladimir Devidé Haiku Award received over 800 submissions from 64 different countries. At the award ceremony, which took place as part of The Asian Conference on Literature 2017, the Grand Prize Winner, Runners Up, Commended entries and Guest Judge selections were read out by Professor Myles Chilton of the Department of Nihon University, Japan. The Grand Prize was awarded to Manos Kounougakis of Greece, while the 1st Choice of Guest Judge Susan Burch, who made her selection on the theme of “History, Story, Narrative”, went to John Hawk of the United States.
Grand Prize
among the debris
the cell phone screen
lights up
Manos Kounougakis, Greece
Guest Judge 1st Choice
stars…
still amazed
i found her
John Hawk, USA
2016
The IAFOR Vladimir Devidé Haiku Award 2016, now in its sixth year, attracted a record of 680 submissions from 60 different countries. The highest number of submissions were received from the United States, with 120 entries, followed by India with 61 entries, 59 from United Kingdom, 54 from Croatia and 50 from Canada. This year Suraja Roychowdhury of the United States was selected as both Grand Prize winner, and the 1st Choice for the Justice-themed Guest Judge Selection. IAFOR again welcomed renowned critic, author and poet, Dr. A. Robert Lee, to announce the winner and read the Commended Entries and Runners Up at The Asian Conference on Literature, Librarianship & Archival Science 2016.
Grand Prize & Guest Judge 1st Choice
sunny afternoon
a shadow
on the mammogram
Suraja Roychowdhury, USA
2015
The fifth year of the award attracted 400 entries from 54 countries.
The winner of the 2015 Grand Prize was presented to winner Boris Nazansky of Croatia by Dr. A. Robert Lee, internationally recognised critic, author and poet, and LibrAsia2015 Keynote Speaker. Nazansky’s poem is a wonderful example of the haunting, suggestive, and minimalist beauty of haiku, and attests to the extremely high standard of entries to the award.
Grand Prize
pregnancy
shape of the dark side
of the crescent moon
Boris Nazansky, Croatia
2014
In its fourth year, the award saw 290 entries from 39 countries. Most submissions came from Croatia and USA, but also from India, UK, Romania, Serbia, Canada and New Zealand – testament to the award’s diversity and international focus.
The 2014 Grand Prize was presented to Anthony Kudryavitsky from Ireland by His Excellency Dr. Lars Vargö, Swedish Ambassador to Japan and distinguished poet and Japanologist.
Grand Prize
Fathers’ Day
children measure old oaks
by the length of their arms
Anthony Kudryavitsky, Ireland
2013
The third year of the award saw 170 entries from 30 different countries. The majority of the submissions were submitted from Croatia, USA, United Kingdom, New Zealand, Romania and Serbia.
The grand prize winner of the 2013 award competition was Krzysztof Kokot from Poland for the following haiku:
Knock on the door
from this and other side
question marks
Krzysztof Kokot, Poland
2012
The second annual haiku award competition saw 208 entries from 28 different countries, with submissions from Croatia, USA, Serbia, Bosnia Herzegovina and UK, the haiku competition proved once again the international widespread and interest in haikus.
The grand prize winner was Anthony Kudryavitsky from Ireland for the following haiku:
on the steps
of the Freedom Memorial,
a discarded snake skin
Anthony Kudryavitsky, Ireland
2011
The first haiku award saw 166 entries from 29 different countries. The majority of the haiku entries came from Croatia.
The grand prize winner was Jim Kacian from USA for the following haiku:
late autumn sun
the field is too small to hold,
my shadow
Jim Kacian, USA