  We present early high resolution spectroscopic observations of the nova V1369
Cen. We have detected an absorption feature at 6695.6 \AA\, that we have
identified as blue--shifted $^7$Li I $\lambda$6708 \AA. The absorption line,
moving at -550 km/s, was observed in five high-resolution spectra of the nova
obtained at different epochs. On the basis of the intensity of this absorption
line we infer that a single nova outburst can inject in the Galaxy $M_{Li} =$
0.3 - 4.8 $\times 10^{-10}$ M$_{\odot}$. Given the current estimates of
Galactic nova rate, this amount is sufficient to explain the puzzling origin of
the overabundance of Lithium observed in young star populations.
