The Lesia and Petro Kovaliv Fund, under the auspices of the Ukrainian National Women’s League of America (UNWLA), proudly announces its 2025 Literary and Historical Competitions, continuing a legacy of honoring excellence in Ukrainian literature and historical scholarship.
The prize for the best entry in each category will be $1000
Established in 1967, the Kovaliv Fund supports creators who explore and celebrate Ukraine’s cultural, literary, and historical heritage. The Fund was founded by Lesia and Petro Kovaliv—Ukrainians from the central heartland—whose deep patriotism and understanding of the power of literature and scholarship inspired them to support future generations. Petro Kovaliv served as an attaché for the diplomatic mission of the Ukrainian People’s Republic in the Netherlands and Belgium until 1919. The couple later lived in Switzerland, where they continued their dedication to Ukraine’s intellectual legacy.
In their will, the founders of the award stated:
Categories & Awards
This year’s competitions will honor laureates in the following categories:
- Literature Poetry – $1,000
- Literature Prose – $1,000
- Ukrainian Historical Work – $1,000
Eligibility & Requirements
For Literary Categories (Poetry and Prose):
- Books must be written in Ukrainian and published between 2022 and 2024.
- Submissions must be sent by publishing houses in PDF format to:
KovalivLiterary@unwla.org - Email subject line must specify the category (Poetry or Prose).
- Attach a bio-bibliography of the author.
- File names must follow this format:
Ivanenko_Ivan_BIO
Ivanenko_Ivan_Title_of_the_book
For Historical Category:
- Participants must be of Ukrainian heritage.
- Submissions are accepted in all disciplines of the humanities and social sciences on a Ukrainian historical theme.
- Books may be in Ukrainian or English, published between 2023 and 2025.
- Self-published books, reference materials, manuals, and works promoting pseudoscience or containing plagiarism will not be accepted.
- Submissions must be sent in PDF format to:
History.Kovaliv@unwla.org - Email subject line must specify the category (e.g., Monograph, Historical Review).
- Attach a bio-bibliography of the contestant.
- File names must follow this format:
Ivanenko_Ivan_BIO_2025
Ivanenko_Ivan_Title_of_the_book_2025
Deadlines
- Historical category submissions will be accepted until May 31, 2025.
Winners will be selected by a jury of Ukrainian history specialists and announced on September 15, 2025.
- Poetry and Prose categories are open for submissions until June 10, 2025.
The selection committee will be announced after the winners are determined.
Legacy of Excellence
The Kovaliv Fund was founded in 1967 with the Ukrainian Women of America to support creators of Ukrainian historical works and literature. UNWLA is the oldest Ukrainian women’s organization in America, established in 1925, has been engaged in promoting its culture by supporting enriching experiences, such as this contest. In their will, the founders of the award noted: “We would like to encourage the depiction of the past or present-day Ukraine…”.
The Kovalivs came from the central Ukrainian lands, Petro Kovaliv worked as an attaché of the diplomatic mission of the Ukrainian People’s Republic in Holland and Belgium until 1919, and later the Kovalivs lived in Switzerland. The creation of the Foundation was an expression of their patriotism and awareness of the importance of literature and historical works for national development.
After Ukraine gained independence, the laureates of this award in different years were Leonid Plyushch, Tamara Hundorova, Yuriy Andrukhovych, Sofia Maidanska, Oksana Zabuzhko, Marta Tarnavska, Vira Vovk, Vasyl Gabor, Mykhailyna Kotsiubynska, Oleksandr Irvanets, Vasyl Makhno, Larysa Onyshkevych, Oksana Lutsyshyna, Bohdana Matiyash, Raisa Lysha, Maria Revakovych, Ostap Slyvynsky, Dzvinka Matiyash, Sofia Andrukhovych, Myroslav Layuk, Bohdan Zadura (Poland), Vasyl Gerasymiuk, Vasyl Holoborodko, Andriy Lyubka, Lyubka Yakymchuk, Zenya Tompkins, Natalka Belchenko, Kateryna Kalytko and Ali Kinsella.
