Ministry of Culture Hands out National

Ministry of Culture Hands out National Literary Workshop Competition Awards
Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic 7/17/2012

The Ministry of Culture (MINC in Spanish) awarded the winners of the Fifth Edition of the National Literary Workshop Competition for excellence in poetry and short stories. The award ceremony took place at the Library of Culture in Colonial City.

In the poetry 13-to-20 category, Ramón Vladimir Ramos, won first place for “Hasta la muerte.” Ariel Contreras won second place with “Campanadas de vida y muerte” and third prize went to Jordan Manuel Hernández Durán, for “Alegoría del instante.”

Presiding over the ceremony was Mateo Morrison, Deputy Minister of Culture; Valentín Amaro, Director of the National System of Literary Workshops and Eulogio Javier, deputy director of the National System of Literary Workshops. Basilio Belliard, director de Literary Management, was also present at the event.

A total of 280,000 Dominican pesos in cash prizes were divided among the winners who also received certifications and a collection of books from the Culture Ministry’s various publishing houses. In poetry, winners in the 13-to- 20-year-old category received 30, 20, and10 thousand pesos, respectively. In the 21-to-35-year-old category, the three winners received 40, 25 and 15 thousand pesos respectively. Adults above 35-years-old received special certificates and a collection of books from the various publishers of the Ministry Culture.

Mateo Morrison, in giving the main speech at the event, said the literary workshop system is one of the achievements of the current governmental culture administration and is opening up the great creative potential of young Dominicans around the country.

He said that the country is called upon to occupy an important position in terms of cultural material, which is obvious by the development taking place in the various genres of literature.

Mr. Morrison congratulated each one of the winners and, at the same time, urged them to continue reading and practicing their craft to further their intellectual development.

In the poetry 13-to-20 category, Ramón Vladimir Ramos, won first place for “Hasta la muerte.” Ariel Contreras won second place with “Campanadas de vida y muerte” and third prize went to Jordan Manuel Hernández Durán, for “Alegoría del instante.”

In the 21-to-35 category, Ricardo Cabrera took first place with his poem, “Diluvio Amarillo.” José Alberto Beltrán took second with “La danza de KAA” and third place went to Luis Ricardo Arévalo for “El peregrine.”

In the 13-to-20 short story competition, Anthony Noboa Polanco won first prize for his piece, “Ignacio Germosén”. Second place went to Engeli Mena Chalas for “Un pacto de ensueño” and Gabriel Andrés Baquero won third place for “La trágica historia del Señor Iblis.”

In the short story 21-to-35 age group, “El escape” by Vicente Arturo Pichardo, took first place; Isis Aquino took second for “La pandemia” and third place went to Ariel Ortiz Pérez for “El encuentro.”

In the third category, which included workshop participants over the age of 35, first place went to Adalberto Morillo Pichardo for his piece “Distorsión,” second place to Héctor Santana for “Productos con acta de defunción made in China,” with third place going to Inés María García Pérez for “La llegada del silencio.”

In the poetry competition for this age group, first prize went to the poem, “A la franca o cuando me votaron” by Héctor Santana. “La pobreza”, by Nicolás Ramírez, took second place and in third was “Inicio de espectáculo” by Inés María García. Honorable mention was given to Geovanni Mora Soriano for “De oro a lana.”

Other honorable mentions went to Engelin Mena Chalas,  Gretchehn de la Cruz, Maggivel Salazar Sierra, Carlos Gabriel Pérez, Jennet Tineo Céspedes, Lauristely Peña Solano and Luis Reynaldo Pérez.

Ramón Vladimir Ramos gave an appreciation speech in the name of each one of the winners. Everyone celebrated the closing event with a special toast.

Valentín Amaro, Mateo Morrison and Eulogio Javier