The Nicolás Guillén Foundation, an institution created to protect, foster, study, and disseminate the work of the notable Cuban poet Nicolas Guillen, who was founder and former president of the Union of Writers and Artists of Cuba, will celebrate its 20th anniversary by carrying out cultural activities during the current year.

Nicolas Hernandez Guillen, Nicolas Guillen’s grandson and president of the foundation, announced that the activities program lasts from July- when the institution was founded- to the end of 2011. "The purpose of the foundation is to celebrate the event by way of professional dedication," said the president.

The Foundation, an institution that celebrates its creation every two years, will organize the “Nicolás Guillén and Culture” meeting, in the central province of Camagüey on July 14 and 15, and an academic event on the poet will take place in that province in August.

During this summer, and as part of the cultural offer of the popular “Arte en La Rampa” fair at the “Pabellón Cuba” cultural center, the institution will present a run of 60 copies, each one of them contains eight engravings by young designers, who were inspired by Nicolas’ life and work, while a collection of Guillén’s great elegies will be published as another special moment of the event. 

"This book will be a gift for all lovers of poetry and Cuban literature," said Nicolas Hernandez Guillen, which contains illustrations by Cuban artists such as Eduardo Roca (Choco) and Zaida del Rio, among others. These artists and others like Kcho and Roberto Fabelo will mount an exhibition in order to pay honor to the prominent poet.

As part of its celebration, the Foundation Nicolas Guillen will have an important event in November, when homage to the Cuban singer Bola de Nieve will be paid. Bola de Nieve died in 1971; he was a friend of the poet.

In 1991, amidst serious economic difficulties, Cuba gamble on its culture, and the creation of our Foundation is one example of it. Devotion to Nicolas Guillen –the National Poet - on the part of personalities from the Cuban culture is still alive and latent.

A translation by: Silke Paez Carr

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