The Organisation of Ibero-American States for Education, Science and Culture (OEI) launches the second edition of the Bartomeu Melià Award for Ibero-American Intercultural Education and Plurilingualism, an initiative that seeks to recognise and promote innovative initiatives in intercultural education, plurilingualism, and research in the fields of social sciences in Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, and Paraguay.
This recognition, which in its first edition received more than twenty nominations, pays tribute to the legacy of the anthropologist and linguist Bartomeu Melià, SJ, who dedicated his life to defending the rights of indigenous peoples and promoting their languages.
This year, the Bartomeu Melià Award takes on special significance as it is held within the framework of the 75th anniversary of the OEI, an organisation that has for decades spearheaded the promotion of cooperation programs and projects in education, science, and culture in the Ibero-American region. Furthermore, all funds allocated to this year’s award come from 50% of the amount awarded to the OEI by the 2024 Princess of Asturias Award for International Cooperation.
The call, open until June 20, 2025, is aimed at educational centers, civil society organisations, and researchers working to promote multilingualism and intercultural education. This year, special consideration will be given to research in the social sciences, with an emphasis on ethnology, anthropology, ethnohistory, and ethnolinguistics—fundamental areas for understanding and preserving cultural diversity in the region.
The participation categories of the Bartomeu Melià Award are:
• Category A: Educational centers (Formal Education).
• Category B: Civil society and non-formal education organisations.
• Category C: Research centers or individual researchers with work in ethnology, ethnohistory, anthropology, or social sciences related to multiculturalism and multilingualism in Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, and Paraguay.
Selected projects will receive prizes ranging from $3,000 to $1,000 (for winners and honorable mentions), as well as special mentions in each category. The jury evaluation process will take place in July, and the results will be announced on August 8, 2025.
• Applications for the Bartomeu Melià Award must be submitted within the established deadline and meet the requirements detailed in the terms and conditions.
• For more information, interested parties can visit the award’s official website or contact premiomelia@oei.int.
The call is being held in collaboration with the Ministry of Education and Science, the Secretariat of Language Policies of Paraguay, the Fe y Alegría Foundation, and with the support of the Pontifical Commission for Latin America of the Holy See.
