Luanda – The writer and founder of the nation, António Agostinho Neto, posthumously won the National Prize for Culture and Arts, 2022 edition.
Justifying the award, the jury stressed the crosscutting and multifaceted value of his work and thought, for the way he opens up to the problem of culture in Angola, of national languages.
António Agostinho Neto was born on September 17, 1922, in Kaxicane, Icolo e Bengo, and died on September 10, 1979.
As the first President of Angola, he proclaimed the country’s independence from Portuguese colonial rule on November 11, 1975.
He is a reference of national culture, having written several works translated into several languages, such as “Quatro Poemas de Agostinho Neto”, in 1957, “Sagrada Esperança” (1974) and “A Renuncia Impossível” (1982).
The National Prize for Culture and Arts was established in 2000, with the purpose of rewarding creators in the disciplines of literature, cinema and visual audio, visual arts, performing arts and research in human and social sciences.
The award also recognises contributions in the field of cultural journalism and popular cultural festivities.
The objective is to encourage artistic and cultural creation, as well as scientific research in the field of human and social sciences”.
Source: Angola Press News Agency