Russian children’s book jury chairman resigns over war propaganda allegations

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COPENHAGEN (Reuters) – The Russian chairwoman of a jury awarding the biennial Hans Christian Andersen Prize for Children’s Literature announced her resignation on Tuesday, over allegations of involvement in Russian war propaganda.

Russian artist Anastasia Arkhipova was elected head of the jury by the Basel-based International Board on Books for Young People (IBBY) in September.

The award, whose winners include Swedish writer Astrid Lindgren, is considered the highest international honor given to an author and illustrator of children’s books, according to IBBY.

Since her election, Arkhipova has come under pressure from some member countries to resign from her role as a board member of the Moscow branch of the Association of Artists of Russia (MOCX).

The MOCX launched a competition last year which, according to its website, encouraged artists to submit artwork that would promote Russia’s “special military operation” in Ukraine.

Several member countries, including Sweden, Finland, Denmark and the Baltics, have said Arkhipova’s work at the MOCX is not compatible with her role as chair of the children’s literature prize jury.

Last week Queen Margrethe II of Denmark withdrew her protectorate from the award. The mayor of Odense, the birthplace of Hans Christian Andersen, asked IBBY last week that the Danish fairy tale author’s name be excluded from the award.

“(Arkhipova) is aware of the perception of the outside world,” IBBY said in a statement on Tuesday after its board of directors accepted her resignation at a special meeting on Tuesday.

“IBBY strongly and unequivocally condemns Russia’s military aggression against Ukraine,” he said.

(Reporting by Jacob Gronholt-Pedersen; Editing by Bill Berkrot)

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