Dominican Government Establishes “Pedro Henríquez Ureña International Literary Prize”

Dominican Government Establishes “Pedro Henríquez Ureña International Literary Prize”
Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic 4/11/2013

TheDominican Government recently established the “Pedro HenríquezUreña International Prize for Literary Productivity, Critique and Creation of Thought in One’s Life’s Work.” Theprize, established through Decree number 93-13, will be given annually by the Ministry of Culture.

In announcing the literary prize, Minister of CultureJosé Antonio Rodríguezsaid it was time for Latin American writers to be honored with an award in the name of the great Dominican humanist, Pedro HenríquezUreña.

The decree issued by PresidentDanilo Medina Sánchez, states that the prize will be awarded to two Latin American artists in any of the genres that include literary inventiveness, literary criticism or humanistic thought in its historic or contemporary forms and in which they articulate a reflection of Latin American expression

These Latin American writers can be nationals by birth, origin, naturalization and/or residence. The award will be given to a writer whose work is still in the inventive process and to a writer who, for health or personal reasons, has completed his whole project.

In announcing the literary prize, Minister of CultureJosé Antonio Rodríguezsaid it was time for Latin American writers to be honored with an award in the name of the great Dominican humanist, Pedro HenríquezUreña.

The honorary presidency of the award will be held by Sonia Henríquez Lombardo or any other Latin Americanindividual she designates.Following the decree, the Ministry of Culture will submit the regulations and details governing the Award to the Executive Power for its approval, after the first time it is issued.

Culture Minister José Antonio Rodríguez will be the president of the first jury; the Commissar will beLuís Brea Franco, who will also serve as coordinator and secretary of the jury.

Other jurors include Eva Guerrero Guerrero, Coordinator of the Pedro HenríquezUreña Chair at the University of Salamanca; Néstor Rodríguez, Professor at the University of Toronto, Canada; Miguel Mena, researcher and editor of a new edition of the complete works of HenríquezUreña and Ramón Antonio Victoriano (Arturo),specialist in Caribbean Literature and adjunct Professor at the University of Toronto’s Mississauga campus.

In a note sent by the Directorate General of the Ministry of Culture’s Communication Office reported that the work and individuals awarded must have made prior outstanding contributions toward the development of the humanities.

They also must have demonstrated, through their work, solidarity and commitment to the promotion of Latin culture while providing continuity to the postulates of Pedro Henríquez in principles of social justice.

The jury’s verdicts, not subject to appeal, will be made public no later than the first half of March of each year. The prizes will be given out during a celebration at the International Book Fair of Santo Domingo, in a solemn and artistic event.

The decree contemplates that the jury can be changed from year to year, at the discretion of the Dominican Ministry of Culture.

Two of the awards will be cash prizes of $25,000 dollars followed by a certificate of accreditation and a sculpture created by a Dominican artist.

In addition, the Ministry of Culture will publish a section of work of each of the prize-winning writers for their exclusive distribution. This will be done through the EditoraNacionalwith prior permission and protection of the author’s rights and solely for distribution in Dominican territory.

The decree contemplates that the jury can be changed from year to year, at the discretion of the Dominican Ministry of Culture.

The award will not be given to writers who, at the time, hold positions directly related to the organization, the Culture Ministry and its ministers and deputy minister, the prize committee, the Director of Literary Management nor to anyone from the EditoraNacional, the General Directorate of the Book Fair, the General Directorate of the Book and Reading organization, the Directorate of Literary Workshops, and directors of the Museums or professional organizations that sponsor research for the Ministry of Culture.

Article 35 of Law 4100 which governs the Ministry of Culture, establishes that: “The State, through the Secretary of State for Culture, will promote the arts in all its forms and other expressive symbolic manifestations as elements of dialogue, exchange, participation, free expression and as an essential part of human capability”.

Pedro HenríquezUreñawas a prolific Dominican writer and intellectual whose skills ranged from philology, literature, literary criticismand teaching. He was a respected maestro to a generation of important Latin writers such as Alfonso Reyes, Ernesto Sábato and Jorge Luís Borgess.

For his numerous merits, the decree states that it is the duty of the state, Dominican society, culture and the country in general, to recognize the work of Pedro HenríquezUreñaand to contribute to the dissemination and reading of his work among the people of Latin America.

With the recognition of two outstanding writers from Latin America, the Dominican people, through the Ministry of Culture and the Pedro HenríquezUreñaInternational Prize, acknowledge his place in the community of Spanish-speaking peoples.