Alfonso Rodríguez Castelao
Havana, May 18 (RHC)-- Cuban Culture Minister Alpidio Alonso and Spanish ambassador to Cuba Angel Martín attended the opening of the exhibition ‘Castelao: Arte y humor al servicio de las ideas’ at Havana’s José Martí National Library.
The exhibition celebrates Galician Literature Day, observed every year on May 17th in Galicia, Spain. It is a celebration of the Galician language and its literature which was inaugurated by the Royal Galician Academy in 1963.
The first celebration took place in 1963 to commemorate the centenary of Cantares gallegos, the first work written in the Galician language by Rosalía de Castro (1837–1885), who later became one of the most important poets in the history of Galicia. Cantares gallegos was first published on May 17, 1863.
Since 1963, each Galician Literature Day has been dedicated to a different writer in the Galician language. This year’s celebration is dedicated to Alfonso Rodríguez Castelao -- a Spanish politician, writer, painter and doctor. Commonly known as Castelao, he is one of the fathers of Galician nationalism, promoting Galician identity and culture.
Addressing those present at the opening ceremony, Spanish ambassador Angel Martín said Castelao symbolizes many things. He symbolizes Republicans, who were forced to leave Spain. He symbolizes Spaniards migrating to other nations and also those nations, which welcome those migrants. The Spanish ambassador recalled that Cuba was one of those nations that welcome Spanish migrants, including Castelao himself, and countless others throughout history. This explains the close links between our two countries, said the Spanish diplomat.
During the time he spent in exile for his Galician nationalist ideas, Castelao visited Cuba, where he found support for the Galician cause.
The exhibition ‘Castelao: Arte y humor al servicio de las ideas’ is now available on the social network platforms of the José Martí National Library and of the Cuban Ministry of Culture.
