The Gratiaen Trust (GT) in association with JKF as primary sponsor conducted three events digitally due to COVID restrictions with its Short List announcement, Q&A with the shortlisted candidates and Final Prize events successfully streamed via Facebook.

The Short List Announcement included all Long-Listed writers speaking about their work followed by the judge’s citation on the Short List. A panel discussion with the short-listed writers, namely, Andrew Fidel Fernando, Praveen Jayamanna, Vihanga Perera and Upali Mahaliyana, moderated by Smriti Daniel, was streamed thereafter to provide viewers the opportunity to get to know the writers and their work better.

The final prize event took place with readings of excerpts from the shortlisted books whilst Andrew Fidel Fernando, author of ‘Upon a Sleepless Isle’, was announced as the winner of the Gratiaen Prize 2019. Taking the event online enabled GT to reach out to a wider audience and inspire and encourage viewers, especially youth, to take up literature as readers or as writers. This collaboration falls within JKF’s focus area of Arts & Culture aimed at nurturing the livelihoods of artists to preserve our cultural heritage to safeguard arts and culture.