The Cervantes Prize award ceremony took place in Alcalá de Henares, where King Felipe VI personally opened the event dedicated to the writer Gonzalo Celorio. From the very beginning, the monarch emphasized the importance of words and literature in the laureate’s life, immediately setting the tone for the entire ceremony. His phrase, “Se abre la palabra…” became not only a formal commencement but also a symbol for Celorio himself, whose life and work are closely tied to language and family memory.
Family themes and personal stories
Receiving the award, Gonzalo Celorio focused on his family roots and childhood memories that permeate his works. Present in the hall were his children, grandchildren, brother, and close friends—a total of 16 people, giving the ceremony a special atmosphere. Celorio paid special attention to his elder brother Jaime, the only one of twelve siblings who remained by his side. His wife, Silvia Garza, captured the moments when the writer spoke about family, noting that these words moved her the most.
Guests’ reactions and the event’s atmosphere
Queen Letizia remarked that she was especially touched by Celorio’s stories about his childhood and his search for a sense of belonging through books. The writer’s son, Diego, highlighted words from his grandfather, who was always ready to support his son during tough times. The laureate’s grandson, also named Diego, shared that he was struck by his grandfather’s memories of losing his father and how he taught his brothers to talk to girls.
Editor Juan Cerezo called the ceremony a celebration of literature that unites generations and countries. According to him, Selorio continues the tradition of cultural exchange between Spain and Latin America, following in the footsteps of such names as Elena Garro, Luis Cernuda, Borges, and Cortázar. Literary ties and the influence of the Spanish language were among the main themes of the evening.
Literary traditions without borders
During the ceremony, the names of León Felipe, Julio Cortázar, Mario Vargas Llosa, Carlos Fuentes, and Elena Poniatowska were mentioned. Selorio emphasized that today, in the Spanish-speaking world, there are no boundaries for literature, and everyone who writes in Cervantes’ language is part of a shared cultural canon. He called this the ‘Territory of La Mancha,’ where everyone becomes part of a single space of the word.
Among the guests was Sergio Ramírez, the 2017 Cervantes laureate, who noted that Selorio’s family support reflects his literary journey. Lola Larumbe, the owner of a bookstore, added that the diversity of guests from different countries highlights that literature is always a journey through words, not through purity of origin.
Earlier, RUSSPAIN reported on Gonzalo Selorio receiving the Cervantes Prize and how the themes of freedom and personal memory were highlighted at the ceremony in Alcalá de Henares. Learn more about the cultural ties between Spain and Mexico in the article on receiving the Cervantes from the hands of the King of Spain.
