Awarded Ryszard Kapuściński Award for literary reportage.
On May 16, 2011, Svetlana Alexievich was awarded the Ryszard Kapuściński Award for literary reportage in Warsaw, Poland. This accolade highlighted her outstanding ability to weave journalistic precision with literary flair, bringing poignant personal stories to the fore. Her methodical documentation of human lives across the Soviet landscape has been pivotal in presenting a more nuanced understanding of Soviet history, advocating for the voices of those often overlooked by traditional historical narratives.