• Submitted by: admin
• Arts and Culture
• Literature
• 03 / 14 / 2007

The prestigious Pablo Neruda Ibero-American Poetry Award was given this year to Cuban poet and essayist Fina Garcia Marruz, Chilean Minister of Culture Paulina Urrutia announced.

Wednesday's announcement was made in a joint press conference with the jury, including Chilean academician Ana Pizarro, Peruvian writer Carlos German Belli and Cuban poet-essayist Roberto Fernandez Retamar.

Urrutia, who phoned the results to Fina Garcia Marruz and greeted her husband Cintio Vitier, highlighted the praises reflected in the agreement of the jury, stressing her Christian spirituality, opened to world social concerns.

An emotional Garcia Marruz said she greatly appreciated the award, which will be presented to her by President Michelle Bachelet during the Ibero-American Summit of Culture Ministers to be held in the Chilean capital in July.

The Pablo Neruda Poetry Award has previously been given to Mexican Jose Emilio Pacheco (2004), Argentine Juan Gelman (2005) and Peruvian German Belli (2006).

Josefina Garcia Marruz was born in Havana, on April 28, 1923. She became interested in literature when she was in adolescence, joining the literary Grupo Origenes along with Cintio Vitier.

She has been collaborator to numerous Cuban and foreign cultural journals, with her work translated into several languages.

Source: CubaSi