Chilean embassy commemorates 78th anniversary of Nobel laureate Gabriela Mistral's literary triumph

The Chilean Embassy in Beijing hosted a commemorative event on Monday to mark the 78th anniversary of the Nobel Prize in Literature that was awarded to renowned Chilean poet Gabriela Mistral.

Professor Zhao Zhenjiang, a distinguished Spanish language professor at Peking University, graced the occasion and recited two of Mistral's poems. During the event, Mr. Wan Lansu, Charge d'Affaires at the Chilean Embassy in China, presented Professor Zhao with the 2020 China-Chile 50th Anniversary Commemorative Medal in recognition of his efforts in building a platform for the Chinese understanding of Latin American literature, particularly Chilean literature.

Professor Zhao, through his Chinese translations, has played a crucial role in fostering cultural exchanges, shedding light on Chilean literature. In the realm of Nobel laureates, both Gabriela Mistral in 1945 and Pablo Neruda in 1971 have hailed from Chile.

The commemoration, which has been tailored towards children, is joined by principals, teachers and students from four Chinese public schools with a focus on the Spanish language. The ceremony concluded with a dance performance inspired by Mistral's popular poem, Where Are We Drawing Circles? Children, holding hands in a circle, recited the Chilean author's poetry while dancing.

All participating schools received complete sets of Mistral's works, along with books from other Chilean authors. Additionally, the Chilean Embassy donated over 2,000 books to more than 25 educational institutions in China this month, aiming to spread the educational values embodied by the revered Chilean poet.