The Princess of Asturias Foundation

27 nominations from 26 different countries are in the running for this award, the last of eight international awards that are bestowed each year by the Princess of Asturias Foundation, and which are now in their XXXV edition.

©FPA

The jury responsible for conferring the 2015 Princess of Asturias Award for Concord will meet this coming 1st and 2nd September in Oviedo. This is the last of the eight international awards convened by the Princess of Asturias Foundation this year, in this its thirty-five edition.

HM King Felipe VI has been the Honorary President of the Foundation since it was established in 1980. Following his proclamation as King of Spain on 19th June 2014, HRH Leonor de Borbón y Ortiz, Princess of Asturias, is now the Honorary President of this institution which annually convenes the Princess of Asturias Awards. The Board of Trustees of the Foundation decided at an extraordinary meeting in Oviedo last October to rename the institution and its awards, which are now called the Princess of Asturias Foundation and Princess of Asturias Awards, respectively.

As stated in the Statutes of the Foundation, the Princess of Asturias Awards are aimed at rewarding “the scientific, technical, cultural, social and humanitarian work carried out at an international level by individuals, institutions or groups of individuals or institutions”. In keeping with these principles, the Princess of Asturias Award for Concord shall be conferred on those “whose work whose work contributes outstandingly to the defence of human rights, to the promotion of peace, freedom, solidarity, the protection of heritage and, in general, to the progress and understanding of humanity”.

Twenty seven candidatures from Arab Emirates, Argentina, Colombia, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iraq, Ireland, Italy, Jordan, Lebanon, Lithuania, Mexico, New Zealand, Netherdelands, Paraguay, Peru, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Thailand, The United States and Spain, have been nominated for this award.

The Award comprises a Joan Miró sculpture representing and symbolising the accolade, a cash prize of €50,000, a diploma and an insignia.

The jury for the Princess of Asturias Award for Concord –which, as usual, will be composed largely of members of the Boards of Trustees of the Foundation– will meet at the Reconquista Hotel.

Deliberations will commence at 6.00 p.m. on Tuesday, 1st September, in the hotel’s Salón Covadonga (Chapel) and the jury’s decision will be made public at 12 noon the following day, Wednesday, in the same room. Following this, the members of the jury may be interviewed.

This is the last of the eight Princess of Asturias Awards to be bestowed this year, in what is their XXXV edition. Previously, The Princess of Asturias Award for the Arts went to American filmmaker Francis Ford Coppola, the Princess of Asturias Award for Social Sciences was conferred on French-American economist Esther Duflo, the Princess of Asturias Award for Communication and Humanities went to the Spanish philosopher Emilio Lledó Íñigo, the Princess of Asturias Award for Technical and Scientific Research was jointly bestowed on biochemists Emmanuelle Charpentier (France) and Jennifer Doudna (United States), the Prince of Asturias Award for Sports went to the basketball players Pau and Marc Gasol, the Princess of Asturias Award for Literature went to Cuban-Spanish writer Leonardo Padura and the Princess of Asturias Award for International Cooperation was conferred to Wikipedia, free-access digital encyclopedia written.

The reading of the jury’s decision will be broadcast live for more than 150 countries via the main national and international radio and television channels. The signal will be openly transmitted via Hispasat satellite (America and Europe). In addition, there will be a live Internet broadcast at the Foundation's website: www.fpa.es

Jury composition

The Jury, which is to meet at the Reconquista Hotel, will be made up of the following members: