Queen Sofía Honored with University of Salamanca Gold Medal for Poetry Commitment

The University of Salamanca has decided to honor Queen Sofía of Spain with its gold medal, the institution's highest award. This recognition celebrates her sustained commitment over 35 years to the Ibero-American poetry prize that bears her name. The university's rector, Juan Manuel Corchado, highlighted the Queen's consistent dedication to the academic entity and the field of literature.

Corchado emphasized the Queen's deep involvement in the poetry prize, describing it as "a project very much her own, in which she is totally immersed." He stated that the award is a way to express gratitude for her enduring support and her contributions to literature and poetry. The rector noted that she is always available to support the University of Salamanca whenever needed.

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We thought it was time to thank her for the effort she makes to always be there with us, for everything that is literature, for everything that is poetry; and because whenever we need her, she is supporting the University of Salamanca.

The Reina Sofía Prize for Ibero-American Poetry, first awarded in 1992, is jointly presented by the University of Salamanca and Patrimonio Nacional, a state body managing Crown assets. The prize includes a monetary award of 42,100 euros and is intended to recognize the body of work of a living author whose poetry holds significant literary value and enriches the common cultural heritage of Ibero-America and Spain.

This prestigious award has gained considerable social and media projection. Recent recipients include Spanish poet Jaime Siles in 2026, Colombian writer Piedad Bonnett in 2024, and Nicaraguan author Gioconda Belli in 2023, underscoring the prize's importance in celebrating contemporary Ibero-American poetry.

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it is a project very much her own, in which she is totally immersed.