Paraguay is blending tradition with innovation in a groundbreaking educational initiative, using the world’s best-selling video game, Minecraft, to bring its rich history to life.
The National Secretary of Tourism (SENATUR), in collaboration with the Ministry of Education and Sciences (MEC), has launched “Guardians of Heritage: 2025 Edition Jesuit Missions,” a national educational competition inviting students aged 7 to 18. They are invited to digitally reconstruct Paraguay’s historic Jesuit Missions using Minecraft Education.
Minecraft competition recreates
This free, two-month-long programme aims to merge learning, technology, and cultural identity. Participants will recreate and reinterpret the Jesuit Missions: communities established in the 17th and 18th centuries by Jesuit missionaries to convert, protect, and educate the indigenous Guaraní people across what is now Paraguay, Argentina, and Brazil.
The competition transforms education into an engaging, hands-on experience, encouraging young Paraguayans to explore their heritage through a platform they already love.
Students will receive training in Minecraft’s creative tools and the historical significance of the Missions, turning learning into play. The initiative empowers participants to design and reflect on their cultural roots in a virtual world. For many, this will be their first opportunity to engage deeply with Paraguay’s colonial past, even if they’ve never visited the Missions (Reducciones) in person.
Top project wins PlayStation 5
To sweeten the deal, the top project will win a PlayStation 5, Sony’s latest gaming console. The competition marks Paraguay’s first use of Minecraft Education to explore its colonial history, showcasing how education can evolve while staying rooted in tradition.
As technology becomes increasingly integrated into daily life across the country, initiatives like this highlight the potential to reimagine historical sites like the Jesuit Missions, once centres of learning and culture, through the hands of young digital architects.
Registrations are now open, with limited spots available. Interested participants can find contest rules by category on the official competition website or contact by WhatsApp for further information.
Whether you’re a parent of a budding builder or simply intrigued by the fusion of history and gaming, “Guardians of Heritage” is a project to watch. Paraguay is proving it understands the assignment, teaching history in a way that resonates with today’s youth.
