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Bob Dylan to receive Nobel Prize this weekend

The Local Sweden
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Bob Dylan to receive Nobel Prize this weekend
Bob Dylan is finally going to collect his Nobel Prize in Literature. Photo: Photo: David Vincent/AP

Bob Dylan will receive his Nobel Literature Prize this weekend in Sweden, the permanent secretary of the Swedish Academy which hands out the prize has confirmed.

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In a new update on her blog, Swedish Academy Permanent Secretary Sara Danius explained that the Swedish Academy and Bob Dylan have decided to meet this weekend:

"The Academy will then hand over Dylan's Nobel diploma and the Nobel medal, and congratulate him on the Nobel Prize in Literature. The setting will be small and intimate, and no media will be present; only Bob Dylan and members of the Academy will attend, all according to Dylan's wishes."

The songwriter will be in the Swedish capital for two performances at the Stockholm Waterfront centre on Saturday and Sunday. He will not however deliver his Nobel Lecture, the only requirement to receive the eight million kronor (839,000 euros, $870,000) that comes with the Nobel Literature prize.

"The Swedish Academy is very much looking forward to the weekend and will show up at one of the performances. Please note that no Nobel Lecture will be held. The Academy has reason to believe that a taped version will be sent at a later point. (Taped Nobel lectures are presented now and then, the latest of which was that of Nobel Laureate Alice Munro in 2013.) At this point no further details are known," Danius added.

While the lecture is a requirement in order for prize money to be handed it out, it does not  affect the winner's Nobel status.

The confirmation that Dylan will receive his prize is a relief for the Swedish Academy, who only two days ago admitted that the musician had not been in touch in the last few months ahead of his concerts. 

The unconventional choice of Nobel Literature laureate last October sparked debate over whether a musician should be awarded the prestigious literature prize. 

Dylan's radio silence didn't help either. He failed to respond to phone calls made by the academy following the announcement, only officially accepting the award two weeks later. Nor did he turn up for the traditional award ceremony in December.

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