Iberian Award Ceremony 2021
One hundred sixty participants from Spain and Portugal, as well as from Peru, Chile, Colombia, Cuba and Guatemala handed in 48 contributions revolving around the topic “Work and Crisis” to the 14th Iberian History Competition. Forming an integral part of the Real Maestranza de Caballería de Ronda’s Awards and Scholarships Ceremony, the prize winners were awarded on 15 October 2021.
Under strict safety measures in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, the ceremony was attended by prize winners of the Iberian History Competition, university scholars, students from the Riding School, family members and guests. The ceremony was chaired by Teodoro León Gross, Professor of Communications at the University of Málaga.
More than one hundred young participants were awarded in a ceremony that began with the welcoming address of Rafael Atienza, Lieutenant of the Grand Brother, pointing out the students’ excellence and effort, as well as “the meritorious work of parents and teachers in raising successful children and students.” He went on to say that “despite the difficult times, Real Maestranza wanted to make an effort to stimulate the entire educational community.”
In his speech José Félix Fernández Megías, long-time tutor of the Iberian EUSTORY History Competition, described the competition as a “safe bet for the quality of education, [...] as a tool, an asset and a unique opportunity.” He highlighted the role of the tutors who, by being the ‘alma mater of the competition’, are essential for the competition’s long-lasting success.
Elisenda Serratosa Vidal, representative of the University’s scholarship recipients, thanked Real Maestranza for “promoting the projection and university dreams of Ronda students, for believing in us and for making us feel lucky to have an institution like this one.”
The first prize was awarded for the work "Puertollano. The Phoenix of Energy. It All Started with Coal", submitted by Natalia Gámiz Merino and Felipe Ciudad Mora, students of the I.E.S. Fray Andrés (Puertollano, Ciudad Real), and their tutor José Félix Fernández Megías. The prize money amounted to 2,500 euros for the students and 1,250 euros for the tutor.
Four second prizes of 1,000 euros per student and 500 euros per tutor were also awarded, as were nine third prizes of 500 euros per student and 250 euros per tutor, and fourteen consolation prizes of 200 euros per student and 100 euros per tutor.
The ceremony concluded with the speech of Teodoro León Gross who stressed that it is important “to be more parents of our future than children of our past.” He also mentioned the basic qualities to ‘live well’ and conquer the future: curiosity, knowledge, ethics, and luck. The main choice an individual has to make in life, he stated, is the choice to “be able to say yes or no and to choose which yes and which no.” He closed his speech by encouraging the winners to be themselves and wished them good luck in their endeavor.
The Iberian EUSTORY History Competition is organised by the Real Maestranza de Caballería of Ronda and the Associação de Professores de Historia de Portugal (APH).