Ministry of Culture Announces Winners of Annual Literature Awards 2019

Santo Domingo, July 4, 2019 – The Ministry of Culture recently announced the winners of the Annual Literature Awards 2019, in its six categories. Each of the winning authors will receive a prize of US$5,000 and a Certificate of Honor.

The awards, issued through the Ministry’s Literary Department, strengthen its believe in the importance of promoting literature in the Dominican Republic.

The announcements were made in the Aida Cartagena Portalatín Hall of the Pedro Henríquez Ureña National Library. The names of the winners were read by Ms. Ruth Herrera, General Director of Books and Reading of the Ministry. Other officials present were Cesar Zapata, the Ministry’s Director of Literary Management and León Félix Batista, Director of the Poetry Festival. Also present was Enrique García, director of the National Publishing Office.

The opening remarks were delivered by writer César Zapata who, speaking for the Minister of Culture Eduardo Selman, spoke of the importance of literary production.

THE WINNERS

The Annual Poetry Award Salomé Ureña de Henríquez was issued to César Sánchez Beras, for his book: Cartografía del desamparo.

The winner of the Short Story Category José Ramón López was issued to Ubaldo Rosario, for his story titled Jaque Mate.

The Annual Novel Award Manuel de Jesús Galván was written by José Acosta, for his production El lodo y la nieve.

The Annual Theater Award Cristóbal de Llerena was issued to Richardson Díaz, for his play titled El motín de la paloma.

In the Essay category Pedro Henríquez Ureña, the award was issued to plastic artist Dustin Muñoz, for his work titled La contemplación estética de lo feo.

The Annual Children and Youth Literature Award Aurora Tavárez Belliard was issued to writer Farah Harrar for her book Los puentes del corazón.

Director Ruth Herrera delivered closing remarks, where she valued the content of the winning literary pieces.

The jurors were, in the Poetry Category: José Enrique Delmonte, Sarria Rodríguez and Ramón Peralta; in Short Stories, by: Aquiles Julián, Fernando Berroa and Mónica Boronteri; in the Novel category: Rafael Castillo, Luis Arambilet and León David; in Essays: Adriano Miguel Tejada, Ofelia Berrido and Celsa Albert; in Theater: Haffe Serrulle, Iván García Guerra and Bienvenida Polanco. In Children’s Literature: Lucia Amelia Cabral, Elizabeth Ovalle and Dulce Elvira de los Santos.

The Annual Literature Award was created through Decree No. 111-05, dated March 23, 2005. The Ministry of Culture annually calls on local writers to participate in the event.

Photo Caption:

1-The General Director of Books and Reading, Ruth Herrera, and César Zapata, Director of Literary Management at the momento when they read the names of the winners.

2- Writers and members of the juries of the Annual Literary Awards 2019.