Romanian Ana Blandiana awarded 2026 Zbigniew Herbert Prize for lifetime achievement in poetry Romanian writer Ana Blandiana has been named the 2026 laureate of the Zbigniew Herbert International Literary Award, one of Poland’s most prestigious distinctions for poetry. The prize recognizes a living author for their entire body of work, according to the announcement from the Romanian Cultural Institute (ICR). The award ceremony is scheduled to take place on May 27 at the National Library of Poland. This marks the second major recognition for Ana Blandiana’s poetry in Poland, following the “European Poet of Freedom” prize awarded in 2016.