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JOSÉ MARTÍ NATIONAL JOURNALISM PRIZE

A proud moment for Cuban journalists (+ Photos)

Miguel Díaz-Canel Bermúdez, first vice president of the Councils of State and Ministers, presented seven professionals with the José Marti National Journalism Prize

Author: | internet@granma.cu

Miguel Díaz-Canel Bermúdez, first vice president of the Councils of State and Ministers, presented seven professionals of the world of journalism with the José Marti National Journalism Prize for their lifetime’s work, this March 14, Cuban Press Day.

Awarded by the Union of Cuban Journalists (UPEC), the prize went to Elson Concepción, of Granma newspaper; Manuel Guerrero, from Prensa Latina; Ciro Bianchi, a columnist for Juventud Rebelde; Francisco Blanco (Blanquito), caricaturist of Palante; Magaly García, former editor of the magazine Bohemia; Tomás Oliveros, Cuban Television cameraman; and José Aurelio Paz, of the Ciego de Ávila newspaper Invasor.
These seven professionals were selected from 46 proposals. The number awarded this year surpassed the usual number of honorees.

Ciro Bianchi offered the words of appreciation, noting that while no prize makes people better, it marks a milestone in their careers, and stressing the significance of receiving a Prize with the name of José Martí.

The columnist took advantage of the moment to highlight the importance of so many young people working in the sector today, and stated that “Journalism in Cuba has among its challenges raising quality and critical and analytical capacity.”

Meanwhile, a further five sector professionals received the Juan Gualberto Gómez National Journalism Award for their work throughout 2017.

As part of the activities, René González Barrios, president of the Cuban Institute of History, offered a synthesis on the role of the Cuban press in the independence struggle, and stressed the importance of the newspaper Patria, founded 126 years ago by José Martí, the greatest of Cuban journalists, as one of the strategies to achieve the island’s definitive independence.