The Diplomat
The Board of Directors of the Círculo Intercultural Hispano Árabe (CIHAR), in its virtual meeting on 2 October, agreed to award its highest distinction, the CIHAR Diamond Medal, to Antonio Gala Velasco, writer, playwright and poet, and also President of the Antonio Gala Foundation for Young Creators.
If the circumstances of the Covid19 allow it, CIHAR will organise an act of homage and presentation of the medal to Antonio Gala Velasco or the person he assigns on 5th November at its annual meeting, in Casa Árabe in Córdoba, at 6.30 p.m.
The CIHAR Diamond Medal is awarded to the writer for his many actions and writings in favour of interculturality and the brotherhood of civilisations, with special attention to Hispanic-Arab friendship, presiding over the Hispanic-Arab Friendship Association, a position he held during the first years of its existence, with the aim of enhancing relations between the two peoples. He also gave recognition to all of his literary production, especially that which contributed to making known the many cultural aspects of the Al-Andalus period.
Gala was a very successful author among readers in any of the genres he cultivated: theatre, columnism, novel and lyric. His style abounds in images and lyrical resources, and is very elaborate in terms of form. His work “The Crimson Manuscript” was awarded the Planeta Prize in 1990. He has been awarded the Gold Medal of Úbeda and Baeza. He has an honorary doctorate from the University of Córdoba and the César González Ruano Journalism Prize for “My talks with Troylo”. In 1983 he was awarded the “Libro de oro”, the publishers’ prize. In 1989 he was awarded the “Andalusia of Letters” prize and the León Felipe Prize for Civic Values. On 6th March 2008, he joined the Royal Academy of Cordoba as an honorary member.
