Helder Macedo is the winner of the 10th edition of the Vasco Graça Moura Prize – Cultural Citizenship
Established by Estoril Sol, the Vasco Graça Moura Prize – Cultural Citizenship, in its tenth edition, was awarded to Helder Macedo, “an illustrious poet, novelist, essayist, critic, and professor who has an exemplary trajectory in the field of cultural citizenship”, said the jury.
Presided over by Guilherme d`Oliveira Martins, the jury elected Helder Macedo, considering that “living in Mozambique, since his youth, he asserted himself as a free conscience, considering freedom as encompassing literary and artistic creation, but also the recognition of the right of peoples to self-determination and independence”.
The jury minutes also state that Helder Macedo “exiled in London, from 1960 onwards, was a collaborator at the BBC and taught at King’s College where he taught Portuguese Language and Culture, establishing himself as a prestigious researcher. After the Revolution of April 25th, he performed important functions in the cultural area in Portugal, having continued, alongside literary and essay creation, a persistent action in culture and education in favour of Portuguese culture in the world”.
Helder Malta Macedo was born on November 30, 1935, in Krugersdorp, South Africa. He spent his childhood in Mozambique and returned to Lisbon at the age of 12, later attending the Faculty of Law of Lisbon. He took his first steps in the field of literary fiction, writing a novel and some short stories that the dictatorial regime established in Portugal censored, preventing their publication – the book was, after the 1974 revolution, revised by the author, who decided not to publish it. However, he managed to publish his first book of poems at the age of 21.
Committed to his academic life, he took a break from writing, which he only resumed years later. A young man with anti-fascist convictions, he was persecuted by the PIDE (International and State Defense Police). He went into exile in London in 1960, graduating in Literature and History. A professor at King’s College, he carried out his doctoral studies there.
Helder Macedo, in 1991 and 1998, published, respectively, the novels “Partes da África” and “Pedro e Paula”. Co-organizer of Folhas de Poesia, he collaborated in several publications, such as Graal, Hidra I or Colóquio/Letras. In the field of essays, he distinguished himself with studies of literary criticism that presented innovative perspectives on the connection of the literary text with the mental and cultural horizon in which it was produced. In terms of poetry, he published “Vícios e Virtudes”, in 2000, and the book “Viagem de Inverno” and “Outros Poemas”, a collection of his poetry, published by Editora Record, from Brazil.
Having lived in Portugal between 1975 and 1980, where he held public and political functions for a short period, Helder Macedo became a professor of Portuguese Literature at King’s College of London, although never gave up his status as a free Portuguese.
Established by Estoril Sol, the Award, which is held annually and has a pecuniary value of 20 thousand euros, was created in honour of the memory of Vasco Graça Moura. It is worth remembering that in previous editions, Eduardo Lourenço, José Carlos Vasconcelos, Vitor Aguiar e Silva, Maria do Céu Guerra, Carlos do Carmo, Emílio Rui Vilar, Zeferino Coelho, Graça Morais and José Pacheco Pereira were distinguished.
The Jury that awarded the Prize, chaired by Guilherme D`Oliveira Martins, was made up of Maria Carlos Gil Loureiro, José Manuel Mendes, Manuel Frias Martins, Liberto Cruz, José Carlos de Vasconcelos, Ana Paula Laborinho, and, also, Dinis de Abreu, at the invitation of Estoril Sol.
It should also be noted that under the terms of the Regulation, the Vasco Graça Moura Prize “aims to distinguish a writer, essayist, poet, journalist, translator or cultural producer who, throughout their career – or through an innovative and exceptional intervention importance -, has contributed to dignifying and projecting the sector to which it belongs in the public space”.
The Award ceremony will be announced in due course.
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