Paris, October 12 (RHC)-- The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) has decided to award the Havana-based Casa de las Américas cultural institution with the 2017 UNESCO-UNAM/Jaime Torres Bodet Prize in Social Sciences, Humanities and the Arts.

The decision was announced Wednesday in Paris by UNESCO's Director General Irina Bokova.  She said the award is in recognition of Casa de las Americas' promotion of pioneer initiatives toward the development and consolidation of high human values.

The UNESCO chief recalled that Casa de las Américas was founded in 1959 with the aim of boosting and expanding socio-cultural ties among countries in Latin America, the Caribbean and beyond.

“Ever since, the entity has become one of the most renowned and prominent cultural institutions in Latin America and the Caribbean,” she said.

The Award bears the name of eminent Mexican poet, author, essayist and diplomat Jaime Torres Bodet, also a founding member of UNESCO, who served as the organization's Director General 1948 to 1952.

The awards presentation ceremony will take place in early 2018.