Francisco Panguana Júnior, a university lecturer, is the winner of the sixth edition of the Fernando Leite Couto Literary Prize.

With a degree in Portuguese Language Teaching from the Pedagogical University of Maputo, Francisco Panguana Júnior won the prize for his original novel "Os peregrinos da sobrevivência" (The pilgrims of survival), out of 68 proposals submitted for the prize, 19 women and 49 men from all over the country, with the exception of Niassa.

In fact, the jury of the sixth edition of the Fernando Leite Couto Literary Prize unanimously decided in favor of "Os peregrinos da sobrevivência" (The pilgrims of survival), by Aristarco Velos, pseudonym of Francisco Panguana Júnior, due to its creativity, thematic innovation, linguistic correctness and technical narrative mastery, according to Teresa Manjate, president of the jury.

"First of all, I have to say that it was very difficult to choose the winner, because all of us on the jury noticed that the quality is getting better and better. Young people are reading and writing and that's a good sign. As for the winning work, thematically, it's a current work, with a close look at society and a lot of creativity," said Teresa Manjate, at the ceremony to announce the winner, quoted by the newspaper "O País".

In addition to the sum of around 150,000 meticais, provided by Moza Banco, Francisco Panguana Júnior will have his book published in the country by the Fernando Leite Couto Foundation and will take part in FOLIO - the Óbidos International Literary Festival, as part of the 30-day literary residency he will spend in the Óbidos municipality in Portugal, where he will also be able to publish his book at an event held by the Portugal Mozambique Chamber of Commerce, according to the newspaper.

Francisco Panguana Júnior succeeds Óscar Fanheiro and Gibson João, winners of the fifth edition of the Fernando Leite Couto Literary Prize.

Photo DR