STOCKHOLM: Chinese writer Mo Yan won the Nobel Prize in literature yesterday, a cause of pride for a government that had disowned the only previous Chinese winner of the award, an exiled critic.
National television broke into its newscast to announce the prize — exceptional for the tightly scripted broadcast that usually focuses on the doings of Chinese leaders.
The Swedish Academy, which selects the winners of the prestigious award, praised Mo’s “hallucinatory realism” saying it “merges folk tales, history and the contemporary.”
Peter Englund, the academy’s permanent secretary, said the academy had contacted Mo, 57,before the announcement.
“He said he was overjoyed and scared,” Englund said.
Among the works highlighted by the Nobel judges were “Red Sorghum, (1993), “The Garlic Ballads” (1995), “Big Breasts & Wide Hips (2004).
“He’s written 11 novels and let’s say a hundred short stories,” Englund said. “If you want to start off to get a sense of how he is writing and also get a sense of the moral core in what he is writing I would recommend ‘The Garlic Ballads.’”
Chinese social media exploded with pride after the announcement, while Mo’s publisher called it a dream come true but said that Mo always played down the importance of prizes.
“For me personally it’s the realization of a dream I’ve had for years finally coming true, it’s suddenly a reality, but what I mainly want to say is congratulations to Mo Yan,” said Cao Yuanyong, deputy editor in chief of Shanghai Literature and Art Publishing House, which has published much of Mo’s work.
Hu Xijin, editor in chief of the state-run nationalistic Global Times tabloid, said on a Chinese version of Twitter that Mo’s winning is proof that the West has looked beyond Chinese dissidents.
“This prize may prove China, with its growing strength, does not have only dissidents who can be accepted by the West. China’s mainstream cannot be kept out for long,” Hu wrote on his microblog.
The reception of the award in China contrasted with the reactions when jailed dissident Liu Xiaobo won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2010, which infuriated the Chinese leadership.
Chinese author Mo Yan wins Nobel
Chinese author Mo Yan wins Nobel
Essex man takes on charity endurance challenge for children in Gaza
- Mark Watson, 63, is undertaking a “virtual Sumud” journey from his Essex home town in Harlow to Gaza, covering 2,287 miles
LONDON: A man in England has launched a demanding charity challenge to raise funds for children affected by the war in Gaza.
Mark Watson, 63, is undertaking a “virtual sumud” journey from his Essex home town in Harlow to Gaza, covering 3,680 km running, walking, swimming, cycling and rowing.
He is raising money for Medical Aid for Palestinians, a UK-based humanitarian organization that provides healthcare to Palestinians in Gaza and the occupied territories.
“I have felt helpless day after day seeing images of countless children in Gaza with broken bodies and missing limbs and witnessing their unbearable suffering,” Watson said on his JustGiving page.
“I have been inspired by the courage of those who took part in the global sumud flotilla and all of the activists who have put their lives and freedom at risk supporting the Palestinian people and so I am raising funds for Medical Aid for Palestinians.
“My challenge is to complete a virtual sumud from Harlow, where I live, to Gaza. Running, walking, swimming, cycling and rowing I will cover the 2,287 miles as quickly as I can.
“I am an unfit, overweight 63-year-old, so I’m not going to break any records, but the Arabic word Sumud means steadfastness and perseverance, and I will give it my all.
Watson added: “I hope to be joined by people I love and admire along the way, so please support my fundraiser. Every donation, however small, will help save the lives of Palestinians.”
As of Jan. 3, his fundraising effort had reached 12 per cent of its £5,000 ($6,733) target.
The war in Gaza began after the Oct. 7, 2023, attack by Hamas on southern Israel, in which about 1,200 people were killed and more than 200 taken hostage, according to Israeli authorities.
Israel responded with a large-scale military campaign in Gaza, which local health authorities say has resulted in the deaths of more than 71,000 Palestinians, widespread destruction of civilian infrastructure and a severe humanitarian crisis.
International aid agencies have repeatedly said that children are among the most affected, facing injury, displacement, malnutrition and limited access to medical care.
Watson said he was inspired by activists and humanitarian efforts supporting Palestinians and hopes his challenge can make a small contribution to saving lives.
