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Memory of the World; 2012 - unesdoc - Unesco

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‘José Martí Pérez’ fonds<br />

Inscribed 2005<br />

What is it<br />

The collection includes 2435 documents covering<br />

<strong>the</strong> literary, journalistic, revolutionary, diplomatic,<br />

biographical and personal work <strong>of</strong> or about José Martí.<br />

Some were collected to support <strong>the</strong> personal papers<br />

and place <strong>the</strong> work <strong>of</strong> Martí in perspective and illustrate<br />

his life.<br />

Why was it inscribed<br />

José Martí was an author and social activist whose<br />

influence has had an enduring influence on Latin<br />

American culture. The Cuban national hero is also<br />

synonymous with <strong>the</strong> bid for Cuban independence<br />

from Spain.<br />

Where is it<br />

Centro de Estudios Martianos, Havana, Cuba<br />

José Martí (1853–95) left a rich cultural legacy in many<br />

fields. As a thinker and a politician, he led <strong>the</strong> way in literary<br />

creation and social action. However, his influence extends<br />

far beyond literary and artistic spheres: he helped to define<br />

<strong>the</strong> modern Latin American cultural identity.<br />

As a writer, José Martí is one <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> masters <strong>of</strong> universal<br />

literature. In his relatively short life he produced a<br />

written corpus in prose and verse that formed one <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong><br />

most powerful foundations <strong>of</strong> modern literature in <strong>the</strong><br />

Spanish language.<br />

Like Charles Baudelaire, Arthur Rimbaud or Walt<br />

Whitman in <strong>the</strong>ir respective tongues, he was one <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong><br />

fa<strong>the</strong>rs <strong>of</strong> literary modernity in <strong>the</strong> Spanish-speaking<br />

world. He undertook a renewal <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Spanish language<br />

and applied techniques that were similar to those used by<br />

Parnassians and symbolists to his prose and poetry. His<br />

language, syntax and use <strong>of</strong> adjectives showed a radical<br />

novelty, and he put in practice many modern poetical<br />

resources. His conviction that ‘<strong>the</strong>re will be no Spanish<br />

American literature until <strong>the</strong>re is a Spanish America’<br />

filled <strong>the</strong> pages <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> main newspapers <strong>of</strong> Latin America,<br />

turning him into <strong>the</strong> first Cuban figure to attain wide fame<br />

in <strong>the</strong> region.<br />

366 ‘José Martí Pérez’ fonds<br />

Plaza José Martí, Cienfuegos, Cuba �

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