ISFODOSU honors Manuel Matos Moquete for national literature award

Santo Domingo.- The Salomé Ureña Higher Institute of Teacher Education (ISFODOSU) celebrated the recent award of the National Eduardo León Jimenes Book Fair Prize 2024 to renowned writer Manuel Matos Moquete for his work “El crisol y la criba. Relatos de aprendizaje,” published by the institute’s Publications Department.

Dr. Matos Moquete was honored at a gathering led by ISFODOSU Rector Dr. Nurys del Carmen González, Vice Rectors Carmen Gálvez, Andrea Paz, Cristina Rivas, and Glenny Bórquez, as well as Publications Head Miguelina Crespo and the work’s senior copy editor, Adrian R. Morales.

Author Dr. Matos Moquete and ISFODOSU Rector Dr. Nurys del Carmen González. (Photo: Isfodosu)

The Rector expressed the institute’s immense joy upon hearing of the award, describing the book as a fascinating read and a valuable resource for enriching the teaching and learning process for both professors and students.

The writer, accompanied by his wife, Professor Lizet Rodríguez, expressed his gratitude to ISFODOSU for publishing his work, which he described as extensive, and for the quality of the editing, design and layout.

Adrian R. Morales, Glenny Bórquez, Andrea Paz, Emilia Pereyra and Lizet Rodríguez. (Photo: Isfodosu)

Matos Moquete shared insights into his creative process, revealing how, despite his career as a public education official and university professor, he always managed to carve out time for writing. He also discussed his versatility and ability to work on multiple projects simultaneously, allowing each work to develop naturally.

In addition to the ISFODOSU team, professors, and friends of Professor Matos Moquete were present at the event. The book is available in the ISFODOSU publications catalog, which can be found on the website www.isfodosu.edu.do.

Author Manuel Matos Moquete with ISFODOSU Communications and Public Relations Coordinator Patricia Mora and Language and Literature Area Coordinator Sandra Alvarado. (Photo: Isfodosu)

An indispensable work

The jury for the 2024 National Eduardo León Jimenes Book Fair Prize, composed of Gerardo Roa Ogando, Priscilla Velásquez Rivera and Jochy Herrera, with the ex-officio director of the Book Fair, Joan Ferrer, as president, issued the following citation:

“Using clear and sometimes poetic prose, the author evokes a genuine love for the art of reading, writing, and learning. The writer is forceful and proud of his convictions, which he conveys in a way that makes us nod in agreement both with our heads and our hearts.

There is such clarity and mastery of language in his work that it goes beyond being a mere testimony and becomes a teaching of rare conceptual rigor. But we also find the delicate and profound gaze of a human being who looks back on his past and returns grateful, satisfied, and changed. In this way, without intending to, he manages to change something in us after closing the back cover.”