The news was given by Nuria Gregori, the deputy director of the institution, who highlighted the deep knowledge of Couffon in the translation art, exhibit for more than 60 years.

"I just want to tell you that Im very exited to be in Cuba, Im not a man of academic speeches", affirmed Couffon in the tribute dedicated to him by the 2008 International Book Fair, held at the San Carlos de la Cabaña Fortress.

"If Im here, is for an old love I have to Cuba. I confess, having life up to today the Cuban Revolution, has been a wonderful experience", he added.

Cuban poet, Nancy Morejon, classified Couffon as "an exceptional bridge of art and communications, whose nobility has promoted in a continuous way those literatures, created on both sides of the ocean".

His dedication, she said, "has given the chance to French speaking readers to enjoy the best of a literary experience", informs Prensa Latina.

Couffon was born in 1926 and dedicated great part of his life to promote the work of many authors, among them the Cuban Nicolás Guillén, the Spanish Rafael Alberti and the Guatemalan Miguel Ángel Asturias, among many others.


(www.cubavision.cubaweb.cu)