Between Myth and Revolution: Héctor Celano’s Poetry Revisits Che Guevara

Where: Embassy of the Republic of Cuba in Italy – Rome

When: Monday, June 30, 2025 – 6:00 PM

How: Free admission until full capacity is reached

In the heart of Rome, at the diplomatic headquarters of the Republic of Cuba, the event “Between Myth and Revolution: Che Guevara in the Poetry of Héctor Celano” will take place on Monday, June 30, as a lyrical and political tribute to Ernesto “Che” Guevara on the occasion of the 97th anniversary of his birth. This gathering forms part of ongoing internationalist and anti-imperialist solidarity initiatives, reaffirming the condemnation of the economic, commercial, and financial embargo imposed by the United States on Cuba and Venezuela.

Héctor Celano: Word, Memory, and Resistance

The evening will spotlight Argentine-Cuban poet Héctor Celano, renowned broadcaster on Radio Habana Cuba, a key figure in contemporary Latin American poetry, and recipient of multiple literary awards, including the prestigious Ciudad del Che Prize. Dividing his time between Havana and Buenos Aires, Celano is widely acclaimed for his poetry steeped in civic engagement and historical memory.

During the evening, Celano will present to the Italian public a new and unpublished poetic reading, entirely dedicated to the figure of Che Guevara. An emotional and profound reinterpretation — not the clichéd Che reduced to merchandise and folklore, but the man, the militant, the doctor, the rebel, the internationalist, the tragic utopian — portrayed through the evocative power of poetry.

Three Acts for a Living Legacy

The event will unfold in three main sections:

• The Legendary Face – A critical reflection on the construction of the Guevara icon, starting with Alberto Korda’s famous photograph Guerrillero Heroico.

• Poet and Revolutionary – A reading of Héctor Celano’s unpublished poems, in intimate and dramatic dialogue with Che’s persona.

• Shared Memory – A collective moment of discussion on the current meaning of militancy, solidarity, and social justice.

Poetry and International Solidarity: Poets Against the Blockade

The initiative is ideally linked to the anthology “Poets Against the Blockade” (2020), an international project published across three countries — Italy, Cuba, and Venezuela — bringing together over 130 poetic voices in a choral act of protest against the U.S. blockade.

Conceived and passionately curated by Geraldina Colotti — journalist, writer, and revolutionary activist — the anthology stands as a powerful example of cultural resistance and intercultural dialogue.

It was also presented at FILVEN – Venezuela’s International Book Fair, in the presence of Minister of Culture Ernesto Villegas and Deputy Minister Raúl Cazal.

“With many different voices, Italian poetry takes a radical stand against the economic, financial and commercial blockade imposed by the North American empire on Cuba and Venezuela... The encounter with Cuban and Venezuelan poetry makes this eBook an expression of what dialogue between peoples should be…”

— (From the anthology’s introduction by Geraldina Colotti)

A Well-Deserved Acknowledgement

Heartfelt thanks go to Geraldina Colotti, whose tireless work made possible the creation and dissemination of this extraordinary collective project. Her ability to build genuine bridges between poets, intellectuals, and institutions demonstrates the transformative power of militant culture.

A Legacy to Nurture

The June 30 event will be much more than a commemorative tribute. It will be a real opportunity to rediscover poetry as a tool for struggle, to listen to a voice like that of Héctor Celano, and to reflect collectively on what meaning the word “revolution” might still carry today.

In a world marked by wars, exploitation, and ecological crisis, poetry — when it remains faithful to truth and justice — continues to be a weapon loaded with future.

Free entry until capacity is reached.