Pablo Neruda, 1972

Tomas Rivera center to host Sept. 25 tribute to Chilean poet

(Sept. 24, 2003)--The Tomas Rivera Center for Student Success will host a tribute to Chilean poet Pablo Neruda from noon to 2 p.m., Thursday, Sept. 25, in the University Center Mesquite Room (2.01.24) on the UTSA 1604 Campus.

The event is free and open to the public. Two books of Neruda's poetry donated by the Consulate of Chile and the University of Houston will be raffled and refreshments will be served.

On the thirtieth anniversary of Neruda's death, the event commemorates the writings of the Nobel Laureate and world-famous poet-son of Chile. Hosted by Carmen Julia Vasquez, a Spanish tutor in the Tomas Rivera center and a Chilean, the event includes a biography or Neruda, poetry readings and excerpts from "Il Postino," a recent film about Neruda's life in Italy based on his letters.

"Throughout all these years I have collaborated with the UTSA Department of Modern Languages and Literatures, and now I extend an invitation to all the students, teachers and anyone else who appreciates Spanish literature," said Vasquez.

Pablo Neruda (1904-1973), a Chilean poet and diplomat, was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1971. Born Neftali Ricardo Reyes Basoalto, he used the pen name Pablo Neruda for more than 20 years before adopting it legally in 1946.

Neruda is the most widely read of the Spanish American poets. From the 1940s on, his works reflected the political struggle of the left and the socio-historical developments in South America. He also wrote love poems. Neruda's "Twenty Love Poems and a Song of Despair" (1924) has sold more than a million copies.

The Tomas Rivera Center for Student Success is an academic support unit that provides academic advising, learning assistance and supplemental instruction programs for UTSA students.

For more information, call 210-458-4694.