Cuban Eduardo Heras Receives 2014 National Literature Prize

HAVANA, Cuba, Feb 16 (acn) The short story writer and editor Eduardo Heras León received the 2014 National Literature Prize, in a ceremony at which it was present Miguel Díaz-Canel, First Vice President of the Councils of State and Ministers of Cuba.

At a meeting held in San Carlos de La Cabaña Fortress as part of the 24th International Book Fair, Heras felt the love of his friends, colleagues and students, who are part of the 900 graduates of Onelio Jorge Cardoso Literary Training Center.

Abel Prieto, Advisor to the Cuban President; Julián González, Minister of Culture -in charge of granting the award-, and Miguel Barnet, President of the National Association of Cuban Writers and Artists, also participated in the tribute.

Dazra Novak, former student of the Center and a well known name in contemporary letters, thanked Heras León for the more than 15 years he has devoted to this space of shelter for novice writers.

Heras León is, since his teacher Onelio, and with him, the most exclusive and tenacious Cuban writer who has cultivated the short story as an expressive manner throughout the second half of the twentieth century and the 21st, read Waldo Leyva, member of the jury.

Meanwhile, as it could not be otherwise, Heras began, in story form, approaching the child who once promised his father he would get to publish books and that after his death, when finishing the long working day, wrote poems in the middle of the night.

I don't have to tell you the emotion I am feeling, because I know that there are dozens of young graduates from the Center celebrating with me today, we bet and will continue betting for them, he said, while dedicated the award to his wife Ivonne Galeano.