Alcyon and the Hungarian Institute invited submissions from writers in France, Hungary, Switzerland, Belgium, the United Kingdom and Austria for the contest. Unpublished works of autobiography, fiction and even poetry reflecting on Hungary were accepted, though they were limited to ten pages. Altogether 137 submissions were received by the deadline at the end of March.
The submissions were evaluated by the writers Éva Almássy and Pierre Karinthy, as well as Tamás Szende, who heads Paris's Eastern Languages and Civilisations Institute (INALCO).
The contest winner will receive a EUR 1,000 purse. The authors of the ten best works will be presented plaques at a ceremony in Paris on June 24.
The contest and the resulting volume is meant to promote both Hungary and France and to strengthen the ties between the two countries. The prorgramme's patron is French President Nicolas Sarkozy. Other supporters include Hungarian Minister of Education and Culture István Hiller, and well-known public figures in Hungary such as Ferenc Fejtő and Xavér Varnus
