Spotlight on literature in October.
October is adorned with literature celebrating the 330th anniversary of the city of Matanzas and the Day for National Culture. Relevant events will take place in the coming days.
To know details about what will happen in the City of Rivers and Bridges we interviewed Efrahím Pérez Izquierdo, director of the provincial Center of the Book and Literature:
«Our institution has coordinated a program of literary actions in conjunction with the National Union of Writers and Artists of Cuba (UNEAC), the Saíz Brothers Association (AHS) and the Directorate of Culture, because of the connotation that this month has for the nation and especially for Matanzas.
«We started the first day with Carilda’s Tertulia, in her mansion at 81 Calzada de Tirry Street, what better place to start the homage to the city than the place where our great National Literature Prize winner was born and lived.
«We continue with the Aldabón Award, from 3rd to 5th of next week, and from 6th to 8th it will be the most important event with writers in the country, I am referring to the day for the City Foundation Award 2023, convened by the Matanzas publishing house, which is attended by prestigious intellectuals as jury, plus the winners of the contest. It will be dedicated to the National History Award, Urbano Martínez Carmenate.
«After those intense days we will celebrate on the 10th the Day of the Absent Matancero and then, on the 12th, during the very date of the constitution of the city, the finalists and the winner of the Extraordinary Poetry Prize ‘Canto a Matanzas’, launched openly and exclusively by the UNEAC and the Provincial Center of Books and Literature, on the occasion of the 330th anniversary of the Athens of Cuba, will be known».
A special proposal will take place on the 11th at the ARTEX Cultural Complex, on Narváez Street, with the celebration of the promotional space San Juan Murmurante, conducted by the poet and repentista Orismay Hernández.
On that occasion, the prestigious creator and promoter from Matanzas, Luis Octavio Hernández, will be the guest, who will open his heart to the host’s always clear questions and will receive the tribute of the cultural institutions of the territory along with attractive musical and plastic options.
When inquiring about other relevant activities that will take place until the celebration of the National Culture Day, on October 20, Pérez Izquierdo pointed out:
«Also on October 12th and 13th, in parallel, the First National Book Festival will be held in the penitentiary centers, which will be opened in the Agüica prison, in Colón and will be extended to the rest of these institutions in the province.
«It is worth mentioning that at the community level during these days of October, literary meetings will be held in schools and work centers, with more than ten presentations of books and writers.
«Likewise, Ediciones Vigía is working on the Literary Contest America Bobia, on the 19th and 20th, as a magnificent closing of the celebrations for the National Culture Day, when for the first time in this rebellious Island, the Bayamo Hymn was sung.»
Written by María Elena Bayón Mayor.
