Homero Aridjis was born in Michoacán in 1940, of Mexican-Greek antecedents. He is a poet, novelist, environmental activist, diplomat and journalist. An award-winning writer; he has twice been the recipient of the John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Fellowship and most recently received the Premio Internazionale di Poesia 2013, Premio Letterario Camaiore, Italy. From 1997 to 2003 he was the President of International PEN.