Skip to main content

Sophia Award for Excellence

An award recognizing those who build appreciation of Spain and the Spanish-speaking world through wisdom and humanitarianism.

The History

Named after the Greek word for wisdom “Sophia,” this award is presented to a person or organization that has actively contributed to the international appreciation of Spain and the Americas through a donation of time, expertise, and an innate wisdom in the areas of sciences, arts, or humanities. From 1978 to 2013, the Institute annually awarded Gold Medals to individuals who contributed to the international appreciation of Spain and the Americas through their achievements in international relations, science, business, the arts, literature and philanthropy. Some recipients of the Gold Medal included Santiago Calatrava, President Bill Clinton, Julio Iglesias, The National Soccer Team of Spain, Beatrice Santo Domingo, Antonio Banderas, Montserrat Caballé, and Felipe VI of Spain. In 2018, the Institute renewed a tradition of presenting our most prestigious award to persons who embodied our mission. Thus, the Institute inaugurated the Sophia Award for Excellence, a prize honoring the wisdom and humanitarianism of our Patroness Her Majesty Queen Sofía.

Sophia Award Winners

Gustavo Dudamel

2024

Gloria and Emilio Estefan

2023

Mari Carmen Ramírez

2023

Ignacio Torras

2023

José Andrés

2022

Carmen Iglesias

Carmen Iglesias

2020

Carlos Slim

Carlos Slim

2020

Elena Barraquer

Elena Barraquer

2018

Placido Domingo

Plácido Domingo

2018

Programs & Events