A conversation with the writer Sergio Ramírez

The Instituto Cervantes, the official Spanish Government Centre, is a public institution founded in 1991 to promote Spanish language teaching and knowledge of the cultures of Spanish speaking countries throughout the world.

Instituto Cervantes Manchester

The Instituto Cervantes in Manchester hosts the conversation between Nicaraguan writer Sergio Ramirez and Professor H. Rosi Song.

The Instituto Cervantes is delighted to present Nicaraguan writer, essayist, journalist and poet, Sergio Ramírez (Masatepe, 1942) in conversation with H. Rosi Song, Professor of Hispanic Studies at Durham University. Sergio Ramírez's career spans not only the history of his country, but also that of the many countries through which he has travelled while writing, working, and teaching. These include Mexico, Peru, Chile, the USA, and Spain, where he is currently living. Sergio Ramírez has won multiple awards that recognise him as one of the great writers of our time, including the ‘José María Arguedas Narrative Award’ (2000), in 2011 he received the ‘José Donoso Ibero-American Literature Award in Chile for his literary work as a whole, and in 2014 the ‘Carlos Fuentes International Award’. He is the first Central American author to receive, in 2017, the highest recognition for the creative work of Spanish and Latin American writers, the ‘Premio Cervantes’. In 1977 he headed up the group ‘the Twelve’, made up of intellectuals, businessmen, priests, and civil leaders, who fought against the Somoza regime. After the electoral triumph of the Sandinista Front (1979), he was elected vice-president of Nicaragua. After 1996, he decided to leave politics to return to the world of literature. Sergio Ramírez runs the online magazine ‘Carátula’ and writes for the literary blog ‘Boomerang’ of the newspaper El País (Spain). In 2019, the director of the Instituto Cervantes, Luis García Montero, inaugurated the library of the Instituto Cervantes in Hamburg which was named after the Nicaraguan author.During this conversation we want to bring together his many experiences, sharing his life lessons a storyteller, as a citizen of the world and, above all, his memories as a book lover and dedicated reader, also reflecting on current issues. A prolific author of a diverse and committed literature, his work shows us the importance of narrating reality and sharing his stories, from his highly acclaimed novel ‘Margarita, está linda la mar’ (1998) to his numerous works as a crime writer, including the popular trilogy ‘El cielo llora por mí’ (2008), ‘Ya nadie llora por mí’ (2017) and ‘Tongolele no sabía bailar’ (2021). A born fabulist of our times, his humour and irony, immersed within masterful and dazzling language, become useful tools to reveal the intricacies of our environment, always captured within plots of power and in the face of which knowledge is shown as the best form of resistance. H. Rosi Song is a Professor of Hispanic Studies at Durham University, author of ‘Lost in Transition: Constructing Memory in Contemporary Spain’ (2016), and co-editor of the volumes ‘Traces of Contamination: Unearthing Francoist Legacy in Contemporary Spanish Discourse’ (2005), and ‘Towards a Cultural Archive of la Movida: Back to the Future’ (2013). She has widely published works on contemporary Spanish culture, film, and literature.With the collaboration of Manchester City of Literature.

<ul><li>Activity with limited capacity.</li></ul><ul><li>RSVP required. Once you have registered we will send you a confirmation email.</li></ul><ul><li>In Spanish with consecutive translation into English.</li></ul><ul><li>A Spanish wine will be served at the end of the event.</li></ul>

El Instituto Cervantes se complace en presentar al escritor, ensayista, periodista y poeta nicaragüense Sergio Ramírez (Masatepe, 1942) en un diálogo con H. Rosi Song, catedrática de estudios hispánicos de la Universidad de Durham. La trayectoria de Sergio Ramírez recorre no solo la historia de su país, sino también la de los muchos países por los cuales ha transitado, escribiendo, trabajando, enseñando. Entre ellos México, Perú, Chile, los EE.UU. y España, país donde reside actualmente. Sergio Ramírez ha sido galardonado con múltiples premios que lo reconocen como uno de los grandes escritores de nuestro tiempo, incluyendo el Premio de narrativa José María Arguedas (2000), en 2011 recibió en Chile el Premio Iberoamericano de Letras José Donoso por el conjunto de su obra literaria y en 2014 el Premio Internacional Carlos Fuentes, es el primer autor centroamericano en recibir en 2017 el máximo reconocimiento a la labor creadora de escritores españoles e hispanoamericanos, el Premio Cervantes. En 1977 encabezó el grupo de los Doce, formado por intelectuales, empresarios, sacerdotes y dirigentes civiles, en lucha contra el régimen de Somoza. Tras el triunfo electoral del Frente Sandinista (1979) fue elegido vicepresidente de Nicaragua. Después de 1996 decidió abandonar la política para volver a la literatura. Sergio Ramírez dirige la revista electrónica «Carátula» y publica en el blog literario &quot;Boomerang&quot; del diario El País (España). En 2019 el director del Instituto Cervantes, Luis García Montero, inauguró la biblioteca del Instituto Cervantes de Hamburgo con el nombre del autor nicaragüense.En este conversatorio queremos recoger sus múltiples vivencias, compartiendo su experiencia como narrador, ciudadano del mundo y, sobre todo, sus recuerdos como amante de libros y asiduo lector, reflexionando también sobre temas de actualidad. Autor prolífico de una literatura diversa y comprometida, su obra nos demuestra la importancia de narrar la realidad y de compartir sus historias, desde su reconocidísima novela Margarita, está linda la mar (1998) hasta su numerosa producción como escritor de novelas negras que incluye la popular trilogía El cielo llora por mí (2008), Ya nadie llora por mí (2017) y Tongolele no sabía bailar (2021). Un fabulador nato para nuestro tiempo, su humor e ironía, encobijados en un lenguaje maestral y deslumbrante, se convierten en herramientas propicias para desvelar los entresijos de nuestro entorno, siempre subyugado a las tramas del poder y ante el cual el conocimiento se devela como su mejor forma de resistencia. H. Rosi Song es catedrática de estudios hispánicos en la Universidad de Durham y autora de Lost in Transition: Constructing Memory in Contemporary Spain (2016), y coeditora de los volúmenes Traces of Contamination: Unearthing Francoist Legacy in Contemporary Spanish Discourse (2005) y Towards a Cultural Archive of la Movida: Back to the Future (2013). Ha publicado ampliamente sobre la cultura, el cine y la literatura españoles contemporáneos.Con el apoyo del Manchester City of Literature.

<ul><li>Actividad con aforo limitado.</li></ul><ul><li>Reserva necesaria en el formulario para poder asistir. Una vez inscrito, te enviaremos una confirmación al correo electrónico.</li></ul><ul><li>En español con traducción consecutiva al inglés.</li></ul><ul><li>Se servirá una copa de vino español al finalizar el evento.</li></ul>

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A conversation with the writer Sergio Ramírez

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A conversation with the writer Sergio Ramírez

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