Yehorushkina Named First Walter Fiderowicz Fellow
Ukrainian writer Kateryna Yehorushkina becomes the inaugural laureate of the Charleston Literary Festival's international fellowship for authors working outside the United States.
Updated on Nov. 9, 2026 in Books
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The Charleston Literary Festival named Ukrainian writer Kateryna Yehorushkina the first recipient of its Walter Fiderowicz International Fellowship. The fellowship, established in 2026, is awarded annually to one writer working outside the United States.
Why it matters
The organizers said the recognition reflects the significance of her work in understanding the human dimension of war, both in Ukraine and beyond its borders. The fellowship also extends the festival's reach to international authors for the first time.
The fellowship is awarded annually to one writer working outside the United States, and selection involved review of chapters of her non-fiction book and English translations of her poetry. The source does not disclose the fellowship's financial terms or the number of applicants.
The players
Charleston Literary Festival
An annual literary festival in Charleston, South Carolina, founded in 2017, which established the international fellowship in 2026.
Kateryna Yehorushkina
A Ukrainian writer and author of more than twenty books for children and adults, whose poetry and non-fiction focus on the human dimension of war.
Kevin Sack
A Pulitzer Prize-winning reporter for The New York Times who will take part in a festival discussion with Yehorushkina.
The details
Yehorushkina passed a competitive selection process that included review of her non-fiction book chapters and English translations of her poetry, after which she received the notification two weeks following her interview. She will read her poetry, translated by Hanna Leliv, and join a discussion with Pulitzer Prize-winning New York Times reporter Kevin Sack during the festival.
Timeline
2017: The Charleston Literary Festival is founded.
2023: Yehorushkina's poetry wins the Poems of Liberty contest.
2026: The international fellowship is established for the first time.
November 6–15, 2026: The Charleston Literary Festival runs.
November 10, 2026: An open meeting of festival fellows on war literature takes place.
Big Picture
The Walter Fiderowicz International Fellowship marks the Charleston Literary Festival's first move beyond its U.S.-focused programming, with Yehorushkina as its inaugural laureate. Her selection extends the festival's attention to writers working in Ukraine and other countries outside the United States.
Readers in Charleston can attend the festival from November 6 to 15, 2026, including Yehorushkina's poetry reading and her discussion with Kevin Sack. Her three workshop presentations for Our World: Ukraine offer a direct opportunity to engage with the work in person.
The takeaway
Yehorushkina's selection shows how literary festivals can recognize writers whose work documents conflict from outside the United States. Readers interested in war literature can follow the festival's programming for future discussions.
What happens next
An open meeting of the festival's fellows on war literature will take place on November 10, 2026, during the Charleston Literary Festival, which runs November 6–15, 2026.
Further reading
Explore more on the Books section for context on literary festivals and author recognition.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Rubryka.
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