In the Minor Basilica of San Francisco de Asís everything conspires with the verse: the darkness, the mysticism of the space, the peculiar accent of the sounds… It is not surprising then that in the evening Word of the World, one of the traditional milestones within the Havana International Poetry Festival, the site overflows with the commotion produced by poetry made common good.
In this thirtieth edition of the event, the evening – which took place in the evening of last Tuesday – brought together the voices of poets from, among other countries, Cuba, Sudan, Mexico, Hungary, Ecuador, Palestine, Honduras, El Salvador, Italy, Slovenia, China, Burkina Faso and Belgium, in their native languages; as a way to defend that musicality that is at the core of poetry and, furthermore, the plurality of an encounter that persists in the fight against cultural fragmentation.
In addition to the concert by the troubadour Gerardo Alfonso, and the performance of the Fábula Duo, on the occasion the result of the 2024 Cubapoesía Extraordinary Prize was announced, which went to the collection of poems Así, by Basilia Papastamatíu.
The jury, made up of Marilyn Bobes, Luis Lorente and Jesús David Curbelo, highlighted from the notebook its approach, “with depth of thought and high expressive solvency”, of “a set of essential themes such as death, transcendence, identity and human choices in the contemporary world.
Likewise, the organizing committee of the Festival awarded the CubaPoesía Distinction of Cultural Merit to people and institutions with outstanding work in the translation and promotion of poetry, and that “enrich its visualization as an expression of the spirit”; Among them were the journalist and promoter Fernando Rodríguez Sosa, Basilia herself, poet and journalist; the composer and conductor Roberto Varela; Otoniel Guevara, founder of several poetry festivals in Central America; the Hermanos Loynaz Center, in Pinar del Río; and Amnios Magazine.
Nancy Morejón, honorary president of the event, stated that this is “the most important event for our poets and one of the most attended in the world.” This time, until the 1st. June, more than 80 foreign poets from around 30 countries converge in the capital of the Island, along with Cuban creators.
Dedicated to the poetry of Africa on the 90th anniversary of the poet, anthropologist and Africanist Natalia Bolívar, the event’s extensive program includes readings, exchanges and book presentations at universities, schools and institutions; the Havana Poetry School, at the Abelardo Estorino theater; and the International Writing Laboratory, in the gallery of the Casa del Alba.
In line with the position of the Festival, committed to the pain of the people and this year marked by solidarity with the Palestinian cause, on Friday the 31st, at the José Martí National Library, the Meeting of Poets in Defense of Humanity will take place.
