John Edward DeMicoli from Malta wins 2026 regional Commonwealth Short Story Prize for Canada and Europe

Maltese writer John Edward DeMicoli has won the 2026 regional Commonwealth Short Story Prize for Canada and Europe. The 53-year-old from Naxxar saw off strong competition from the other shortlisted writers from the European region, British writers Alison Armstrong and Jennifer Harvey. 

DeMicoli will go through to the final round of judging, and the overall winner will be announced on 30 June. He is one of five regional winners announced by the Commonwealth Foundation.

His winning story, ‘The Bastion’s Shadow’, relates how,in the Maltese capital Valletta, an NGO worker helping migrants begins to sense the island’s ancient bastions as silent witnesses to memory, where history and human dignity quietly converge.

Read the story here.

DeMicoli says his story grew from his long fascination with Valletta’s history and the sense that the island’s limestone carries the memory of centuries. He says, “Living in Malta, one cannot ignore the reality of migration across the Mediterranean, where the sea has become both a route of hope and a place of loss for many people. The story imagines how a historic city built to defend itself might respond to those arriving at its shores today. Through Marlene and Amir, I wanted to explore the idea that remembering names and recognising dignity can become a quiet form of guardianship. While the characters are fictional, the emotional landscape of the story is shaped by the realities that surround us.”

Commenting on his win, he adds, “It’s an incredible honour to be named a Regional Winner among such a remarkable number of entries. Writing this story was a deeply personal process, shaped by reflection, honesty, and a desire to give voice to something meaningful to me. I am truly grateful to the judges for recognising it. More than anything, this experience has reminded me of the power of storytelling to connect people across different lives and perspectives. I am excited to continue developing my work and to be part of a community that values thoughtful, courageous writing.”

The judge representing the Canada and Europe region, novelist and scholar Norma Dunning praises the “a story of remembrance in unexpected forms”.  She adds, “DeMicoli tells the reader that the “limestone remembered”. On the bastions of Valletta, names are written in chalk and washed away with heavy rains, but the walls know and keep the names and their importance inside the stones. It is a story that layers the old with the modern and the healing of two grieving hearts. DeMicoli paints us [a] seaside scene that contains mystery and reassurance, but more importantly, the resilience of the human spirit and the ancestors who strengthen us all daily”.

Chair of the Judges, Louise Doughty, said: “Here are five writers who share an immense confidence of tone, announcing themselves from the very first line. The style and content of each work may vary, but what all our winning authors have in common is an ability to take their readers by the hand and lead them into a world where the characters are utterly believable, the prose assured, and the author has something important to say”.

The Commonwealth Short Story Prize is awarded annually for the best piece of unpublished short fiction from any of the Commonwealth 56 member countries. It is the most accessible and international of all writing competitions: in addition to English, entries can be submitted in Bengali, Chinese, Creole, French, Greek, Malay, Maltese, Portuguese, Samoan, Swahili, Tamil, and Turkish. 

The winning stories are: 

Africa: ‘Me and Ma’am’ by Lisa-Anne Julien (South Africa)

Asia: ‘Mehendi Nights’ by Sharon Aruparayil (India)

Canada/Europe: ‘The Bastion’s Shadow’ by John Edward DeMicoli (Malta) 

Caribbean: ‘The Serpent in the Grove’ by Jamir Nazir (Trinidad and Tobago) 

Pacific: ‘Second Skin’ by Holly Ann Miller (New Zealand)