about the prize
On December 13, 2024, marking the 91st anniversary of the birth of the great American poet Jack Hirschman (1933–2021), Poets of the Planet established an International Poetry Prize in his name.
The Prize, valued at €2,000 and awarded annually, honours a poet for the outstanding quality of their work and their commitment to the ideals of justice, peace, freedom and human dignity.
Jack Hirschman was an American poet, translator and activist whose life was dedicated to poetry, social justice and international solidarity. A prolific author and an tireless advocate for bringing poetry into public life, he translated writers from numerous cultures and languages and helped build international connections between poets.
The Prize created in his name continues his belief in poetry as a force for freedom, resistance, peace and human dignity.
2025 Laureate: İlhan Sami Çomak
The inaugural Jack Hirschman International Poetry Prize was awarded to Kurdish poet İlhan Sami Çomak at a ceremony held in Istanbul on June 25, 2025.
Released in November 2024 after more than thirty years of imprisonment in Turkey, İlhan Sami Çomak developed a powerful and deeply lyrical body of work during his incarceration. His poetry, written in Turkish and Kurdish, explores memory, isolation, nature, childhood and hope.
The Prize recognises both the literary strength of his work and its profound connection with the human values championed by Jack Hirschman.
Read the Prize Manifesto
1. The Poets of the Planet network creates the Jack Hirschman International poetry prize intended to promote the poetic and human values of social justice, international solidarity and peace to which the American poet was attached. He was exceptionally active in promoting poetry to everyone, even in the streets. At the same time as he produced an abundant and strong personal work, both lyrical and epic, Jack Hirschman translated many poets from various languages. And he was one of the initiators and first leaders of a global movement of poets.
2. The Jack Hirschman Prize aims to regularly reward a poet who stands out for the quality of their work, their work in favor of poetry and for their commitment to freedom, social justice, peace and saving life on Earth.
3. The Prize nominees are selected by poets members of the Poets of the Planet network who choose the winner by consensus or by a majority vote. The Jack Hirschman Prize would be awarded every year in a different country, varying on the Prize recipient.
4. The Poets of the Planet network is an international network of poets, writers, essayists and cultural organizers which has currently more than 150 members in more than 50 countries in the 6 continents of the world.
5. The launching of the Prize will take place in the United States (San Francisco), in Europe (Paris, France and Salerno, Italy) in Middle East (Istanbul, Turkey), in Latin America (Mexico) and in North Africa (Tunis, Tunisia). All members of the Poets of the Planet network which currently involves 51 countries in 6 continents will promote in in the media in their countries.
6. You can become one of the donors, Patron of the Prize, by donating an amount of a minimum of 100,00 €. The names of the Patrons of the Prize will be mentioned in the documents of the prize, at the solemn Prize Awarding ceremony, and in the media of different countries. The Prize aims, in this way, to show the transparency and international diversity of its funding. However, if you wish so, you can also remain anonymous. You can also opt to become a permanent Patron of the Prize; we will quote permanent Patrons of the Prize on the official website of the Poets of the Planet network.
Portrait of Jack Hirschman by the poet Scott M. Bird ©2025
İlhan Sami Çomak, inaugural laureate of the Prize'25
Second Edition: Call for Nominations
- Poets of the Planet is now accepting nominations for the second edition of the Jack Hirschman International Poetry Prize.
- All full members of Poets of the Planet who have paid their 2025 or 2026 membership fee may nominate a poet. Self-nominations are not accepted.
- Each nomination must include:
• a supporting statement explaining the reasons for the nomination;
• a selection of at least three poems translated into English and/or French. - Please send your nomination to:
poetsoftheplanet@gmail.com
Deadline: September 15, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. Paris time.
Nominations received after the deadline will not be considered.
Second Edition: HOW TO VOTE
- Every member of our international network Poets of the Planet is invited to vote. (Only the votes of friends who have paid their 2025 or 2026 membership fee will be taken into account.). Each person may vote for one poet only.
- To vote, please send an email with the following text:
"I choose ....................... as the laureate of the 2026 Jack Hirschman International Poetry Prize" - Send your email to one of the three jury members below:
Francis Combes: franciscombes71@gmail.com
Agneta Falk Hirschman: agneta.falk@gmail.com
Halmosi Sándor: sanddor@gmail.com
The International Initiation Committee for the 2025-2026 Jack Hirschman Prize is composed of:
- Agneta Falk-Hirschman (USA - Sweden)
- Francis Combes (France)
- Barbara Pogačnik (Slovenia)
- Moëz Majed (Tunisia)
- Anna Lombardo (Italy)
- Ataol Behramoğlu (Turkey)
- Ayo Ayola Amale (Nigeria)
- Neşe Yaşin (Cyprus)
- Sandor Halmosi (Hungary)
- Les Wicks (Australia)
- Luis Filipe Sarmento (Portugal)
- Claus Ankersen (Denmark)
- Satchidanandan K (India - Kerala)
- Alvaro Mata Guillé (Costa Rica – Mexico)
- Sergio Iagulli & Raffaella Marzano, Casa della Poesia (Salerno) Italy
Support the Jack Hirschman International Poetry Prize
Join us in celebrating poetry and its values of peace, justice, and solidarity. To make a donation, please use the bank details below. Every contribution helps us honor poets worldwide and promote their vital work.
