The Town Hall of Albox celebrated this Saturday the presentation of the Martín García Ramos International Youth Poetry Prize. The young man from Granada, Javier Iáñez Picazo, collected the prize for his book of poems «Entretenimiento para incendios» from the hands of one of the daughters of Don Martín García Ramos. Caty García Pérez acted as spokesperson for her siblings, all in the stalls, in a sign of her commitment to continue the legacy of her father, a professional, literary and human figure of the Almanzora Valley.
The Prize, now in its twenty-third year, has become the most important prize for young Spanish-speaking poetry in the world. Twenty books have already been published under this prize, eighteen collections of poems and two anthologies. The prize consists of 6,000 euros in cash donated by the García Pérez family and the publication of the winning collection of poems by Difácil publishing house.
The jury, chaired by Jon Juaristi, selected the work submitted by Iáñez from among the 85 poems received in this edition. A year with «a very high level in the works presented» and in which Iáñez achieved the highest score from the jury. «We are really dealing with an author with a great projection,» said Juaristi.
The gala was attended by the Delegate for Culture, Tourism and Sport, Juan José Alonso, the Deputy for Entrepreneurship and European Initiatives, Esther Álvarez, the Programme Advisor of the Andalusian Youth Institute, Diego Martínez and was chaired by the Mayor herself, María del Mar Alfonso, who in her speech said that «this council will continue to support culture. In this case with young poets and with an internationally recognised contest».
Alfonso asked the winner to carry «Albox in his heart, wherever you go, I hope you carry our town by flag» she said to the poet from Granada who read a preview of the book of poems that will be published in a few months.
The children of Don Martín García Ramos prepared a video with students who remembered the beloved teacher; experiences that changed their lives, his human value or definitions such as «renaissance man», in reference to his great talent and wisdom in many aspects of life, served to bring his figure closer to the new generations. «The Albox Town Hall will continue to promote this award and the figure of Don Martín García Ramos. We will do so hand in hand with the family themselves, who are doing a really valuable job to continue to highlight the value of their father’s legacy,» concluded the mayoress.
At this year’s Gala, the publication of last year’s winning poetry book «Gasolineras» was presented to all the attendees. And its author, Javier Adrada de La Torre, read one of the poems in the first half of the event, which was attended by numerous residents from all over the Almanzora region.
