Embassy of Chile in Germany Hosts Tribute in Berlin for the 80th Anniversary of Gabriela Mistral’s Nobel Prize
Commemorative event highlights the poet’s legacy and strengthens international cultural dialogue
January 30th, 2026
On Wednesday, December 10, 2025, a commemorative event was held to mark the 80th anniversary of Gabriela Mistral’s receipt of the Nobel Prize in Literature.
The commemorative event was jointly organized by the Embassy of Chile in Germany and the Cervantes Institute, with the support of DIRAC, and brought together approximately 125 participants, including diplomats, academics, literature specialists, and members of the general public. The program opened with welcoming remarks by Ignacio Martínez Castignani, Director of the Cervantes Institute in Berlin, who underscored the significance of marking this anniversary at an institution devoted to the worldwide promotion of the Spanish language. This was followed by an address from the Ambassador of Sweden to Germany, Veronika Wand-Danielsson, who reflected on the historical importance of the 1945 Nobel Prize in Literature and Gabriela Mistral’s lasting legacy in the fields of education, culture, and human rights.
The Ambassador of Chile to Germany, María Magdalena Atria Barros, highlighted Gabriela Mistral’s multifaceted contributions as a poet, educator, and diplomat, as well as her deep commitment to children and education. She emphasized the continued relevance of Mistral’s work and life as a symbol of peace, solidarity, and human dignity in the contemporary world.
The tribute featured a moving artistic and cultural program, including the projection of historical images of Gabriela Mistral, a recitation of the poem “Give Me Your Hand and We Will Dance” by Chilean child Ignacia Fuenzalida Salvatierra, and musical performances by Chilean composer and guitarist Rodrigo Santa María together with German soprano Marie Luise Bestehorn, who premiered a composition created especially for the poem “Land of Absence.” In addition, an academic panel with Marília Jöhnk (Goethe-Universität Frankfurt) and Professor and Researcher Benjamin Loy explored Gabriela Mistral’s significance as a cosmopolitan, decolonial, feminist, and mystical thinker, complemented by readings of selected emblematic poems.
The commemorative gathering reaffirmed Gabriela Mistral’s universal resonance and enduring influence, while also strengthening cultural ties between Chile, Germany, and Sweden, eighty years after her receipt of the Nobel Prize in Literature.
