Quito, September 28 (RHC) -- Ecuadorian writers and artists highlight the literary value of the lyrics of Cuban troubadour Silvio Rodriguez, who will soon receive the Poet of Two Hemispheres award in Havana.

A group of Ecuadorian authors and organizers of the international meeting Poetry in Parallel Zero, will travel next week to the capital of the island to present the award.

During a get-together this Tuesday night, Cuban Ambassador Basilio Gutiérrez expressed satisfaction for the reason of the meeting: to pay homage to Silvio Rodríguez, one of the highest exponents of the Antillean nation's lyric poetry, along with José Martí and Nicolás Guillén.

The diplomat also highlighted how culture, and art in particular, have contributed to strengthening relations between Cuba and Ecuador.

The music of the Cuban singer-songwriter and, of course, his poetry, enlivened the meeting that served as a farewell to the group that will go to Havana to take the honorary award and to present the book "Letras de Silvio", which gathers more than 150 songs of the author.

The anthology, published by El Angel Editor, has a prologue by Galo Mora and Xavier Oquendo, director of the Poesía en Paralelo Cero festival, which this year will celebrate its 15th edition in November.

Oquendo underscored the singer and troubadour's influence on Latin American music and considered him to be the great creator of popular poetry in the Spanish language.

In an interview with Prensa Latina about the announcement of the award, the main architect of Paralelo Cero, said that during his stay in the island's capital, he will give readings at the headquarters of the Union of Writers and Artists of Cuba and at Casa de las Americas.

We will record these activities and others with the troubadour and then, in November, when the meeting begins in Quito, we will project the audiovisual, thus bringing Silvio to half the world, said Oquendo.

In the celebrations for the 15th edition of the festival, in November, about 100 writers of this literary genre will participate virtually and in person.