Dr. Cătălin-Ștefan Popa, Director-general of the Institute for Advanced Studies in Levant Culture and Civilization, was chosen as the recipient of the Distinction for Excellence during the 7th (2026) edition of the Regal Literar Awards, following the jury's deliberations and upon the nomination of Academician Ioan-Aurel Pop.
The Regal Literar Awards, conferred by the Regal Literar Magazine, aim to honour individuals who, through their effort and activity, have made outstanding contributions to the development of Romanian literature, culture, and spiritual life. The Distinction for Excellence was conferred to Dr. Cătălin-Ștefan Popa owing to the erudition and perseverance with which he has brought Syriac heritage and the complexity of the Oriental religious experience back into the spotlight of the Romanian academic world, integrating it into the discourse of major contemporary debates on issues of memory, identity, and spirituality.
The jury for the 7th edition of the Regal Literar Awards was comprised of Academician Mihai Cimpoi (Honorary President); Emeritus Professor George Coandă (President); Rev. Professor Constantin Necula (Honorary member); Doina Dabija; Associate Professor Marius Andreescu; Magda Grigore; Veronica Balaj; Associate Professor Andrei Drăgulinescu; Adrian Artene; Maria Ivanov and Claudiu Dumitrache.
This year's Awards were held under the auspices of the Transylvanian Association for Romanian Literature and Culture – ASTRA, in partnership with the Cluj-Napoca branch of the Romanian Academy Library, the Ipotești Memorial – "Mihai Eminescu" National Research Centre, the Bucharest Metropolitan Library, the "B. P. Hasdeu" Municipal Library of Chișinău, the ASTRA Sibiu County Library, Radio Romania, the "Octavian Goga" Cluj County Library, and the Sibiu branch of the Romanian Writers' Union, with the support of several cultural institutions and publications in Romania and the Republic of Moldova.
The Institute for Advanced Studies in Levant Culture and Civilization is pleased to highlight this deserved recognition conferred to its Director-general, and extends its congratulations for a distinction that honours his tireless academic efforts and his research dedicated to the heritage, cultures, and spirituality of the Levant.
