Writer, journalist, and photography professor Omar Darío Gómez has been awarded the 19th National Literature Competition UIS, Illustrated Poetry Edition, for his work The Ballad of the Earth, submitted under the pseudonym “Heraclitus the Clear.” This prestigious accolade reaffirms his position as a prominent figure in Colombian literary and journalistic circles.
The panel of judges, composed of Rafael del Castillo, Felipe García Quintero, and Henry Alexander Gómez, highlighted the depth of Omar Darío Gómez’s poetic proposal in The Ballad of the Earth. In their commentary, they stated: “The poetics of the book stems from the notion of the creation of the world: the universe as an organism that must be ordered to conceive the right words, granting balance to its elements. It is the Adamic exercise of naming things, the mystical, the contemplation of nature as a task that also probes into language.”
Omar Darío Gómez has an extensive list of awards, including:
- Simón Bolívar National Journalism Award in Chronicle (2017)
- Simón Bolívar National Journalism Award in Chronicle and Reportage (2005)
- Simón Bolívar National Journalism Award for Young Journalism (2000)
- Second Prize in the National Environmental Journalism Award, Anway (2004)
- National Journalism Award “Transmitters of Memory” (National Center for Historical Memory and USAID, 2014)
- Fifth Ibero-American Prize, Paulus Publishing House, Brazil (2001)
- Luis Enrique Figueroa Departmental Journalism Award (2002)
- Winner of the Creation Grant for Civic Platforms, Ministry of Culture (2015)
- Winner of Ministry of Culture Grant in Chronicle and Reportage (2003)
- Finalist in the New Ibero-American Journalism Foundation (FNPI) Prize, Radio Category (2005)
- Finalist Nominee for the Semana Regional Journalism Awards (2018)
- Nominated five times for the Luis Enrique Figueroa Rey Departmental Journalism Awards
- “Victoriano Diego y Paredes Order – Grand Cross” (Highest distinction of Piedecuesta, 2019)
His recent recognition not only celebrates his literary talent but also underscores his commitment to creative exploration and expression. On behalf of the university and the Cultural Directorate of UIS, we extend our congratulations on this remarkable achievement.
