Mònica López wins the 25th Giovanni Pontiero Award for her translation into Catalan of a book by Joana Bértholo

Vice-Rector Santamaria said that this award recognises translations that not only translate the text into another language but also "transmit the spirit of the work". The vice-rector thanked all those involved in the project over the years and, especially, the role of its main promoter, professor Helena Tanqueiro. Filipa Soares, coordinator of the Teaching of Portuguese Abroad at Camões I.P., described the award as "a benchmark" in her area, and Javier Sánchez, coordinator of the Consulate General of Portugal in Barcelona, praised this initiative for its "commitment to the promotion of Portuguese culture and language".

The dean read the jury's minutes, which highlighted the "excellence" and "rigour" with which López conveyed the author's spirit in her translation of Inventari de la pols. Škrabec also paid tribute to Professor Olga Torres, who recently passed away and had formed part of the jury.

In her speech, Mònica López wanted to pay tribute the people who "have contributed" to the development of her career and the achievement of this recognition. For this reason, she explained how she gradually became interested in the Portuguese language, music and literature, travelling regularly to Lisbon and developing the "desire to establish links between Catalonia and Portugal" until the opportunity came to translate the texts of Bértholo, of whom she praised her "exceptional sensitivity". López dedicated the award to her father, who passed away a few months ago, who knew how to transmit to her, together with her mother, "the value of words".

Homage to José Eduardo Agualusa

 

López explained that the first book she translated in its entirety from Portuguese was Teoria general de l'oblit (The General Theory of Oblivion) by the Angolan writer José Eduardo Agualusa, the precise author who was also the subject of a tribute at today's event. Agualusa was also present at the award ceremony and participated in a dialogue with translator Pere Comelles, two-time winner of the Giovanni Pontiero Prize, and with faculty students Sofia Avramora, Carolina de Toledo, Lívia Prat and Iria Vázquez.

Professor Nazir Can of the José Saramago Chair praised Agualusa's literary work, translated into 25 languages, and described the author as "one of the main representatives of Portuguese literature" today. In his conversation with Comelles and the students of the Faculty, Agualusa described the figure of the writer as "a translator of reality" and has praised the role of the translator as "the only essential aspect" in the process of bringing a work to the public. The author discussed the merit of translators in such things as adapting puns from one language to another - in Comelles' words, "everything is translatable and everything is untranslatable" - or in choosing a title for the translated work which, in his opinion, sometimes "improves the original". Answering the students' questions, Agualusa voiced his support of African governments who "promote the teaching of indigenous languages" and the development of literature in these languages.

The Giovanni Pontiero Award, given by the Centre de Língua Portuguesa/Camões I.P. of Barcelona and the Faculty of Translation and Interpreting of the UAB, has reached its twenty-fifth edition this year. López's translation prevailed among the eight works presented. In odd-numbered years, as is this year, a translation from Portuguese to Catalan is distinguished; in even-numbered years, as will be the case for the next edition, a translation from Portuguese to Spanish is awarded.