Alvaro Bermejo

Bermejo's birthdate is a rather unusual date in the Basque Country, as it refers to the day that ETA arose. After studying at the University of Deusto he received a degree in History and also received a degree in Anthropology from the Autonomous University of Barcelona.

Back in his home town of San Sebastián, Bermejo started his creative career as a performer in the group, 'CLOC'. He was one of the group's founders, along with Fernando Aramburu. His first major award was the 'City of San Sebastián' in 1983 for his story 'The Socialist'. He won the 'Mercer' award five years later in 1988 with a translation into Euskara another of his stories, 'Towards the Dawn - Egunsentirantz'. Between 1983 and 1986 he brought against the newspaper 'The Voice of Euskadi'. In 1988 he began working in the Basque Journal, 'El Diario Vasco', covering sections of interviews and comments as' People ow Word or Living on Line'. In 1998 Bermejo had his first encounter with the sculptor Jorge Oteiza, with whom he maintained a close friendship that decisively marked his personal and creative life.

Committed to his country and its reality, the shock provoked by the murder of Gregorio Ordóñez (21 July 1958 - 23 January 1995) a popular deputy of the 'Basque Parliament' prompted him to give a speech in a memorable tribute with prominent individuals such as Fernando Savater or Kepa Aulestia. Thereafter, he began to feel the pressure of radical nationalism, and was nearly shot to death like his friends such as former Socialist minister Ernest Lluch and journalist Jose Luis Lopez de la Calle. Bermejo rejected any form of police protection and continued to live in San Sebastian, defending an independent position held by his weekly articles in 'El Diario Vasco'. Between 1996 and 1998 he coordinated the international cycle of conferences 'More than six proposals for the next Millennium', which was attended by thinkers like Noam Chomsky, Fernando Arrabal and François Baudrillard. From 1997 to 2007 Bermejo advised the project 'Under the skin of the other', led by Karin Ohlenschlager and Luis Rico, in collaboration with the Europe Foundation. Since 2006 he is an advisor to the Institute Medialab and the E-Biolab. In 2008 he led a relevant Summer School at the University of the Basque Country, 'Internet, The Last Utopia', attended by prominent individuals such as Stephan Harding, Derrick de Kerckhove and Lynn Margulis. Since 2009 Bermejo began coordinating the San Sebastian node within the network 'Symbiolab', centered on the symbiosis: cognitive, cultural, scientific and environmental. As a writer, Bermejo was released in Spain after the publication of 'The Kingdom of one thousand' (1997), Award City of Salamanca. Before this he had published titles like 'The Sands and Temple' (1985), 'The Madonna of the Storm' (1989), 'The Descent of Orpheus' (1991), 'Varanasi' (1995) and 'The Game of Mandrake' (1996). These four titles gave him the 'National Literature Award of the Basque Government'. In 2001 he won the award 'Ateneo de Sevilla' with La Piedra Iman. In 2008 he returned to win with the chapter on Historical Novel with 'The Gospel of Tibet'. In 2009 he received the 'International Prize Luis Berenguer', of 'El Laberinto de la Atlántida' (The Labyrinth of Atlántida). In 2011 his work, 'The amazing story of gula' was named "Best Corporate Cookbook" in the Gourmand World Cookbook Awards, considered the Oscars of the culinary literature, sponsored by Gourmand International. This same book was selected as a candidate for the Gourmand Award "Best in the World".