History

The Pablo Neruda Order of Artistic and Cultural Merit (Orden al Mérito Artístico y Cultural Pablo Neruda) was created in 2004 to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the birth of Chilean poet Pablo Neruda.

The Order is awarded to recognize national and foreign individuals, and institutions who have rendered outstanding services to the contribution in the field of art and culture. It consists of a unique grade.

Many national and international personalities have received this decoration since it was created. This Order may be awarded to individuals after they have passed away.

The first time that the Order was awarded was on 5 July 2004 to the mayor of Barcelona, Joan Clos, and about 15 Ibero-American artists – among them, Miguel Bosé, Joan Manuel Serrat, Víctor Manuel, Ana Belén, Jorge Drexler, Julieta Venegas, and Antonio Ríos – who participated in the Neruda tribute that took place at the Palau Sant Jordi, Barcelona.

Pablo Neruda (1904-1973) was a Chilean poet who won the Nobel Prize in 1971, and occupied important diplomatic and political positions. Neruda became known as a poet when he was 13 years old, and wrote in a variety of styles, including surrealist poems, historical epics, overtly political manifestos, a prose autobiography, and passionate love poems.

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