Delivery of the XXIII edition of the Queen Sofia Prize for Latin American Poetry

Queen Sofia presented the award, which recognizes the whole poetic work by a living author for their literary value, constitutes a significant contribution to the common cultural heritage of Latin America and Spain, Malaga poet María Victoria García Atencio.

D oña Sofía presided over the ceremony of the Reina Sofia Ibero-American Poetry Prize 2014, awarded by the National Trust and the University of Salamanca to the Malaga poet María Victoria García Atencio.

Upon arrival at the Royal Palace, Her Majesty Queen Sofia was received by President of the Board of National Heritage, José Rodríguez-Spiteri. Then, as in the Saleta Gasparini, Sofia had the opportunity to greet the Secretary of State for International Cooperation and Latin America, Jesús Gracia; the director of the Cervantes Institute, Víctor García de la Concha; the rector of the University of Salamanca, Daniel Hernández Ruipérez and, finally, by award-winning, María Victoria Atencio.

Then Her Majesty Queen Sofia agreed to the Hall of Columns, where a tribute to the poets awarded the Reina Sofía, Juan Gelman and José Emilio Pacheco Latin American Poetry Prize recently deceased took place, after which Doña Sofía opened the meeting. After a few words of President of the Board of National Heritage and the rector of the University of Salamanca, poet María Victoria Atencio received from Her Majesty Queen Sofia, the award credits as Queen Award winner XXIII Sofia Poetry Iberomericana.

María Victoria Atencio, Reina Sofia Prize for Latin American Poetry 2014, was born in Malaga on November 28, 1931. He published his first book of poetry in 1953 with the title of "wet earth", which was never reissued. Following the publication in 1961 of "Art and apart" begins a long hiatus in his work. In 1971 he qualified airline pilot and resumed his literary work, among other ways, in collaboration with the magazine "Shell". In 1983, another of his passions come to light in an exhibition of prints in the Provincial de Málaga. With the publication of "Ex Libris" in 1984, is given its rightful place both her and her poetry, generating interest in his work.

Atencio Maria Victoria owns the National Andalucía Critics Award, Critics, the biennial Luis de Góngora of Andalusian Arts, the City of Granada - García Lorca, and the Spanish Royal Academy 2012. Member of the Royal Academy of Fine Arts in Malaga, Cadiz, Seville, Cordoba and San Fernando, and Honorary Associate of The Hispanic Society of America in New York. Is Gold Medal of the Province of Málaga and Favorite Daughter of Andalusia, as well as a Doctor "Honoris Causa" from the University of Málaga.

The Reina Sofia Ibero-American Poetry Prize is signed under the Framework Agreement on Cultural Cooperation between the National Trust and the University of Salamanca. The award aims to reward the whole poetic work by a living author for their literary value, constitutes a significant contribution to the common cultural heritage of Latin America and Spain. Candidates are presented by the Academy of Language in Latin American countries, the Royal Spanish Academy and university departments of Philology, Philosophy and Literature.

The award consists of a cash prize of 42,100 euros, editing an anthology of winning poems, and notes with a study by a prominent professor of literature at the University of Salamanca, plus a scholarly conference on the poetry of the author rewarded. A copy of this collection artfully bound becomes part of the funds of the Royal Library of Madrid.

In this edition, the jury was composed of José Rodríguez-Spiteri Palazuelo, president of National Heritage; Daniel Hernandez Ruipérez, rector of the University of Salamanca; José Manuel Blecua, director of the SAR; Nuno Judice, poet awarded the 2013 edition; Ana Santos Aramburo, director of the National Library; Pilar Martín-Laborda and Bergasa; José Manuel Mendes; Soledad Puértolas Villanueva; Jaime Siles; José Miguel Santiago Castelo; Noni Benegas; Víctor García de la Concha; Teresa Lizaranzu Perinat; Pilar Sánchez del Río; Ana Maria Machado; María Ángeles Pérez Rodríguez López and Lina Cacho, acting as secretary Esther Martínez Quinteiro.

Since the first edition in 1992, awarded the Queen Sofia Ibero-American Poetry Prize have been Gonzalo Rojas (Chile), Claudio Rodríguez (Spain), Joao Cabral do Melo Neto (Brazil), José Hierro (Spain), Ángel González (Spain ), Álvaro Mutis (Colombia), José Ángel Valente (Spain), Mario Benedetti (Uruguay), Pere Gimferrer (Spain), Nicanor Parra (Chile), José Antonio Muñoz Rojas (Spain), Sophia de Mello Breyner (Portugal), José Manuel Caballero Bonald (Spain), Juan Gelman (Argentina), Antonio Gamoneda (Spain), Blanca Varela (Peru), Pablo García Baena (Spain), José Emilio Pacheco (Mexico), Francisco Brines (Spain), Fina García Marruz (Cuba ), Ernesto Cardenal (Nicaragua) and Nuno Judice (Portugal).

Source: LogoPress

Photos: House of HM King / Borja Photographers