Sergio Ramirez's 70 Year Celebration Activities

Faustino Salcedo | Aug 3, 2012

On August 5th 1942, in the small town of Masatepe, a boy who later bacame an expert in the art of storytelling and one of the most famous writers in Nicaragua and widely recognized in Latin America and the world for his work was born. Thisperson is Sergio Ramirez Mercado who has written over 48 books.  Several activies will be taking place this August starting on Monday August the 7th, in celebration of his 70th Birthday and his 50 years of literarly career.

"Since my adolescence I felt the need to tell someone a story that was almost lost"", said Sergio Ramirez to ViaNica.com. He is the author of works such as "Margarita, está linda la mar" (Margarita, the sea is beautiful) "Castigo Divino” (Divine Punishment), “Charles Atlas también muere" (Charles Atlas Also Dies), "The Centerfielder”, “El cielo llora por mí” (The sky is crying for me), among others. His first book is "Cuentos" (Tales) and it was published in 1963. From that moment on he has spent 50 years writing and telling stories, governed by the need to tell and to hear someone telling stories as well.

During his 50 years of literary life he has won several awards and citations for his work, among them the order Knight of Arts and Letters in France in 1993, the Alfaguara award in 1998, the Presidential Medal of the Centennial of Pablo Neruda in 2004, the Ibero-American Literature prize José Donoso in 2011. In addition, his books have been translated into 16 languages. He is currently a columnist for 13 newspapers and magazines from different Spanish-speaking countries.

To honor the writer's 70th birthday, there will be different activities held beginning on Tuesday August 7th, starting with the launch of the book “La viuda Carlota y otros cuentos” (Charlotte the widow and other stories). The activities include: two photographic exhibitions with material of the Argentine photographer Daniel Mordzinsnki, a workshop with high school students, the presentation of the books “Historias para ser contadas” (Stories to be told) and “Un baile de máscaras” (A Masked Ball).

The festivities end on August 31st with the presentation of a short film based on Sergio Ramirez's play “The Centerfielder”, directed by the Nicaraguan filmmaker Ramiro Lacayo.

In an interview that Sergio Ramirez gave to ViaNica.com about the celebration, he said he is always pleased to receive tributes –although it is still uncomfortable he using a cheerful tone-, and that it’s not every day that you get to be 70 years old. About his career and his work, he said that the story and the surrounding events of the world have motivated him to write his books, for in some other creatively way he get to tell people what is happening.

“Writing is more than a hobby, it is a need to tell people what I see and feel”, said Ramírez, about the art of storytelling. From an early age he felt the need to tell others what he saw, his surroundings. Regarding his plans for the future, he said that early next year he will be publishing a book of 12 stories, and that he is going to keep writing, and that it is a possibility his new book might just be a novel.

An Honor Committee has been chosen for this celebration made up of different nicaraguan personalities which include: The Poet Ernesto Cadenal, Writer Gioconda Belli, Singer-songwritter Carlos Mejía Godoy Singer Normal Helena Gadea, among others.

For details about the activities visit our Events calendar.

In the following link you can view an image gallery that runs part of the life of Sergio Ramírez:
Collection Sergio Ramirez 70 years Journey

We thank Crea Comunicaciones for providing us the photographs owned by the Ramirez Mercado family and the Argentine photographer Daniel Mordzinsnki.

Translated by Aída Pichardo