The Embassy of Haiti in France is delighted with the award of the prestigious Roger Caillois Prize 2024, in the French Literature category, to the Haitian novelist, essayist and poet, René Depestre (98 years old), for his entire work.

The Embassy extends its warmest congratulations to him for this well-deserved distinction and welcomes this recognition which adds to the already rich list of achievements of this emblematic figure of Haitian literature and an essential pen of French-speaking literature.

René Depestre, born on August 29, 1926 in Jacmel, devoted his life to writing, distinguishing himself as a writer with an original style through timeless works such as "Hadriana dans tous mes rêves", "Alléluia pour une femme-jardin", "Le Journal d'un animal marin", and other major publications.

The Embassy of Haiti pays tribute to this eminent writer whose immense and exceptional work will continue to profoundly mark generations of readers in the French-speaking world and beyond.

The 2024 Roger Caillois Prize award ceremony took place on January 14, 2025 at the Maison de l’Amérique latine in Paris in the presence of the Chargé d’Affaires a.i. of the Embassy of Haiti in France, Louino Volcy and the Permanent Representative a.i. of Haiti to UNESCO, Ambassador Louis Marie Montfort Saintil.

IH/ iciHaiti