Poets

Laureate - 1990

Justo Jorhe Padron

Spain

Biography

Justo Jorge Padron was born in 1943 in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, the Canary Islands, Spain. He is Secretary General of the Spanish PEN Club from 1983 to 1993, founder and editor of the international multilingual journal of poetry ‘Equivalencias’ from 1982 to 1994 and director of the International Poetry Festival of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria from 1992 to 2002 . Chairman and organizer of the sixth world congress of poets held in Madrid in 1982. His poetry has been translated into forty-four languages and has published hundreds of books in foreign languages. He has received thirty international awards including The International Prize of the Swedish Academy, 1972.; Bard International Award of the International association of modern poets, Melbourne, Australia, 1981.; International Prize of Madras, India, 1982 .; Golden Medal of Chinese Culture, 1983.; European Prize for Literature, Yugoslavia, 1986.; Great International Prize for Literature in Sofia, Bulgaria, 1988, twice winner of the “New Macedonia” for best song of the Struga Poetry Evenings, Struga, Macedonia, 1989. and 2002.; Golden Wreath of Struga Poetry Evenings, Macedonia, 1990.; International Award “Blaise Sendrar”, Switzerland, 1994.; International Award “Nikita Stanesku” Romania, 1996.; International Prize of the City of Trieste Italy, 1999.; International Award “Leopold Senghor Cedar”, Dakar, Senegal, 2003.; award of 9 th International Book Fair in Lima, Peru, 2004.; Award “Golden heads of grain” of the International Poetry Festival “Sesar Valjeho” in Truhiljo, Peru, 2008.