The governor of Baja California, Marina del Pilar Ávila Olmeda, led the delivery of the 2022 State Literary Awards issued by the Secretariat of Culture of Baja California after an analysis by literary experts, as part of a strategy to strengthen art and culture in Baja California.

In the 93rd edition of "Wednesday Morning Press Conference with Marina del Pilar" which took place in Tijuana, the governor highlighted the efforts by the Secretariat of Culture in organizing a transparent competition with a series of criteria derived from specialists.

In addition, she emphasized the programs that promote reading in Baja California, which have benefited more than 22,000 children and teenagers throughout this administration where they participate in a reading framework of 5 books per year, strengthening their learning and human development.

"We have also made important progress regarding state literary awards. We have managed to solve the delay of the printing of books by the winners in 2022 and we have reached important agreements to help our talented Baja Californian authors stand out," the governor said.

On the other hand, Marina del Pilar underscored the order and the organization of the beginning of the 2023-2024 school cycle, through the delivery of free school textbooks, educational aid, and the restoration of the more than 3,000 schools in basic education.

As such, she revealed that since Tuesday, August 29, the COVID-19 vaccine is being given to children, ages 5 to 11, as they go back to school.

Regarding this, the Secretary of Culture of Baja California, Alma Delia Ábrego Ceballo, stated that the winners of the state literary awards are: Priscila Rosas in the Short Story category, Liliana López León in the Poetry category, Mónica Elizabeth González in the Novel category, Yoall Morales in the Theater Play Category, Denizza Concepción Flores in the Childhood Theater Play Category, Humberto Félix Berumen in the Essay category, and Enrique Mendoza in the Cultural Journalism category.

She highlighted that in this current administration the prize increased from 25,000 to 45,000 pesos for each of the winners of this contest, organized by an authority in cultural matters.

The state official stated that in this current administration the number of reading rooms in the state increased from 115 to 144. A donation of 6,000 books were received by the Fund of Economic Culture to promote reading habits in children and teenagers.

"The National Commission of Free School Textbooks delivered more than 54,000 reading supplies to the Secretariat of Culture of Baja California," said Ábrego Ceballos.

For his part, the Secretary of Education of Baja California, Gerardo Arturo Solís Benavides, explained the specifics of the back-to-school process of more than 1 million students, as well as 64,000 teachers in more than 4,000 schools at all levels in the seven municipalities of the state.

The official reiterated the educational aid given to more than 110,000 students, and the delivery of 4.2 million free school textbooks as part of the New Mexican School, as well as the installation of more than 2,400 air conditioners in areas with high temperatures.

Lastly, the Secretary of Health, José Adrián Medina Amarillas, revealed that since Tuesday, August 29, a COVID-19 vaccination campaign for children ages 5 to 11 has begun. This dose is comprised of pediatric Pfizer medication.

The state official said that brigades will visit school centers and stated that, though COVID-19 is considered under control in the state, the goal of health authorities is to prevent disease for a safe and healthy back-to-school for all children in basic education.

RELATED VIDEO: "I'm reading incriminating book about Jaime Bonilla," says Marina del Pilar