Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel has bestowed the prestigious Haydee Santamaria Medal on Nobel Laureate Wole Soyinka, honoring his enduring contributions to culture and social justice.
The award ceremony took place on August 23 at the Casa de las Americas in Havana, Cuba, coinciding with the celebration of Soyinka’s 90th birthday and the 60th anniversary of his first visit to the country.
Diaz-Canel emphasized the significance of Soyinka’s visit, describing it as “the visit of a brother who has always fought for just causes.”
The Cuban president expressed that the award represents deep admiration and shared values, noting, “With you, we share ideas, dreams, commitment to human improvement.”
Jorge Fornet, director of the Centre for Literary Research at Casa de las Americas, hailed the awarding of the Haydee Santamaría Medal to Soyinka as “an act of justice that honours us,” adding that the medal has previously been awarded to many distinguished intellectuals from Latin America, the Caribbean, and beyond.
In his acceptance remarks, Soyinka underscored the deep cultural and revolutionary ties between Africa and Cuba, declaring, “Our ties with Cuba are not limited to art and literature, but also to liberation.”
He reflected fondly on his early exposure to Cuban music, saying, “This has been a wonderful way to bring me back and remind me that Cuba is also my home.”
The Haydee Santamaria Medal is awarded to individuals and groups who have significantly contributed to the mission of Casa de las Américas.
In addition to this honor, the Union of Writers and Artists of Cuba presented Soyinka with the Dulce María Loynaz International Prize.
Omar Valiño, a prominent theatre critic and theorist, praised Soyinka as a “consistent man” whose intellectual work is deeply rooted in the ancestral wisdom of Yoruba culture.
Wole Soyinka, who won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1986, remains a towering figure in global literature and activism.