The awards recognize the excellence of Dominican literary creation and historical research
Santo Domingo.– The Ministry of Culture (MINC) announced this Thursday the winners of the 2026 Annual Literature Awards and the 2025 José Gabriel García Annual History Award for works published during a ceremony held at the ministerial headquarters.
The event brought together prominent figures from the country’s literary and intellectual spheres, as well as vice ministers, directors general, and officials from the Ministry of Culture.
During his speech, Vice Minister Pastor de Moya highlighted that these awards constitute a reaffirmation of the Dominican State’s commitment to fostering literary creation, historical research, and the strengthening of national identity.
Likewise, he underscored the value of writing as an instrument for social transformation and highlighted the participation of 128 works in the current call for the Annual Literature Awards.
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Likewise, the event was attended by Vice Ministers Amaury Sánchez and Gamal Michelén; the General Director of Books and Reading, Aquiles Julián; the Director of Book Fairs, Nan Chevalier; and the Director of the Pedro Henríquez Ureña National Library, Rafael Peralta, among other personalities.
The event also featured the presence of Fari Rosario, Director of Literary Management and coordinator of the contest, who offered the opening remarks.
In this edition, the Manuel de Jesús Galván Annual Novel Award was granted to the work “La enana” (The Dwarf), by Manuel García Cartagena.
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The Salomé Ureña de Henríquez Annual Poetry Prize was awarded to the book “Morir es verse” by Alberto Eloy Tejera, while the Pedro Henríquez Ureña Annual Essay Prize was granted to the work titled “Culto al cuerpo: las tentaciones entre la salud y la apariencia” by Ysabel Noemí Tejeda Díaz.
For its part, the Cristóbal de Llerena Annual Theater Award was granted to “Hay una yola en el mundo” (There is a yola in the world), by Ingrid Luciano Sánchez, while the Aurora Tavárez Belliard Annual Children’s and Youth Literature Award distinguished the work “El mapa de la noche” (The map of the night), by César Sánchez Beras.
For his part, the José Ramón López Annual Short Story Award was granted to “From the Side of (Dis)memory”, by Gustavo Olivo Peña.
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During the activity, the verdict of the 2025 José Gabriel García Annual History Award was also announced, which was awarded to the work “Ingenio Barahona: la fundación del Batey Central y su impacto en el desarrollo de la provincia” (Barahona Sugar Mill: the founding of the Batey Central and its impact on the development of the province), by Carlos Manuel Diloné, selected from eight participating works by a jury composed of Herbert Stern, Heriberto Cruz Sánchez, and Virginia Flores Sasso.
Established by Decree No. 3-17, of January 6, 2017, the José Gabriel García Annual History Award aims to recognize original research that contributes significantly to the development of national historiography. The award includes a prize of five hundred thousand pesos, a diploma of recognition, and the publication of the work under the National Publisher’s imprint.
For their part, the winners of the different categories of the Annual Literature Awards will receive a prize of three hundred thousand pesos, a diploma of recognition, and the publication of their works.
These awards, granted annually by the Ministry of Culture, aim to stimulate Dominican literary production, promote excellence in written creation, and strengthen the national bibliographic heritage.
The evaluation process was carried out by juries composed of renowned writers, researchers, and specialists in each of the categories. In poetry, José Enrique García, Noé Zayas, and Petra Saviñón participated; in short story, Omar Messon, Ana Almonte, and Luis Ernesto Mejía; and in novel, Pedro Antonio Valdez, Máximo Vega, and Ofelia Berrido.
In the essay category, the jury was composed of Carlos Cabrera, Ofelia Berrido, and Sandra Alvarado; in theater, Claudio Rivera, Reynaldo Disla, and Bienvenida Polanco; and in children’s and young adult literature, Mónica Volonteri, Iván Payano, and Dinorah Coronado.
The official presentation of the awards will take place in a special ceremony, the date of which will be announced in due course by the Ministry of Culture.
