Queen of Denmark refuses to patronize Hans Christian Andersen Award due to Russian сhairwoman in jury - media

The DR broadcaster reported this with reference to the statement of the International Board on Books for Young People (IBBY), which awards the Hans Christian Andersen Prize to authors and illustrators of children's books every 2 years.

It is noted that Queen Margrethe II has decided to step down as Patron of the Prize, reports the International Board on Books for Young People (IBBY). Also, the award was removed from the list of the Queen's foreign patronages on the website of the Royal House.

The relevant decision of the Queen is due to the fact that Russian illustrator Anastasia Arkhipova was appointed as the head of the award jury in September 2022. This divided the IBBY organization, which was formed after World War II. It was supposed to promote peace through cultural exchange.

It is known that the local representatives of the IBBY organization in Sweden, Finland, Norway, Belgium, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Moldova, and Ukraine tried to get the head of the jury, Russian Anastasia Arkhipova, to resign, but so far in vain.

The Hans Christian Andersen Prize is called the Nobel Prize for Children's Literature. It was founded in 1956 in Denmark. The award is given every two years to the best writers and illustrators and is considered the most prestigious for authors of children's works.  Famous artists who have received this award include Astrid Lindgren, Gianni Rodari, and Tove Jansson.