Cuban president awards national honour to Wole Soyinka

Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel has honoured Nobel Laureate Wole Soyinka with the Haydee Santamaria Medal.

The award was presented to Soyinka on August 23 at the Casa de las Americas in Havana, Cuba.

Diaz-Canel praised Soyinka’s visit as “very significant” and a mark of solidarity with those who have “always fought for just causes.”

He highlighted that the award reflects Cuba’s admiration for Soyinka’s commitment to culture and human improvement.

Jorge Fornet, director of the Centre for Literary Research at Casa de las Americas, described the award as an “act of justice” that honours both Soyinka and the institution.

The event also commemorated Soyinka’s 90th birthday and the 60th anniversary of his first visit to Cuba.

In his speech, Soyinka underscored the deep connections between Africa and Cuba, calling Cuba his second home.

He reminisced about his childhood, when he listened to Cuban music on gramophones, and expressed his appreciation for the cultural ties between Yoruba traditions and Cuban heritage.

Additionally, the Union of Writers and Artists of Cuba awarded Soyinka the Dulce María Loynaz International Prize. Omar Valiño, a theatre critic and theorist, praised Soyinka for his consistent intellectual work rooted in Yoruba wisdom.

Soyinka, who won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1986, was celebrated for his contributions to art, literature, and cultural dialogue.

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