Menéndez Pelayo International Award

2022 Award

Mr Álvaro Pombo García de los Ríos. 35th UIMP Menéndez Pelayo International Award and Medal of Honour

Doctora ConcepciC3B3n Company Company

Álvaro Pombo (Santander, 1939) is a graduate in philosophy and arts from the Complutense University of Madrid, and holds a Bachelor of Arts in the same discipline from Birkbeck College, London, where he was living at the time he published his first poetry collection, Protocolos (1973), written in the previous decade. His work has been translated into several languages and includes poetry (a genre he has remained loyal to) and narrative (his main focus, shared with his passion for history and, in particular, philosophy). He became a member of the Royal Spanish Academy in 2004.

Álvaro Pombo received the El Bardo Award for his poetry collection Variaciones in 1977. In the very same year, he published Relatos sobre la falta de sustancia after returning to Spain from London.

He published Los delitos insignificantes (1980) and El hijo adoptivo (1984) in the 1980s, the latter being made into a film under the title El juego de los mensajes invisibles (1992). He has received many awards including the first Herralde Narrative Award for The Hero of the Big House (1983), the Critics Award for El metro de platino iridiado (1990), the National Literature Award (Narrative, 1997) for Donde las mujeres, the Fastenrath Award from the RAE for La cuadratura del círculo (1999), the Planeta Award for La fortuna de Matilda Turpin (2006) and the Nadal Award in 2012 for El temblor del héroe.

He released Quédate con nosotros, señor, porque atardece in 2013. A conversation between Álvaro Pombo and the philosopher José Antonio Marina entitled La cretividad literaria has also been published (2013). In 2014 he published La transformación de Johanna Sansíleri and La gracia irremediable. Álvaro Pombo: poéticas de un estilo is a collection of papers from a seminar dedicated to the writer and organised by the Universidad Internacional Menéndez Pelayo and the Plaza Porticada Cultural Association in 2009. His novel Un gran mundo was published in October 2015. In September 2016 he published La casa del reloj, followed by Retrato del vizconde en invierno in October 2018. He was awarded the Santander Honorary Arts Prize in 2018. In October 2020, he published the novel El destino de un gato común. He also debuted as an essayist in 2022 with La ficción suprema. Un asalto a la idea de Dios.

2021 Award

Dr Concepción Company Company. 34th UIMP Menéndez Pelayo International Award and Medal of Honour

Doctora ConcepciC3B3n Company Company Dr Concepción Company Company. Born in Spain and a Mexican national, Concepción Company Company is a linguist, philologist and researcher. Her areas of research are the theory of language change, historical Spanish syntax, philology, language variation and ecdotics.Dr Concepción Company Company. Born in Spain and a Mexican national, Concepción Company Company is a linguist, philologist and researcher. Her areas of research are the theory of language change, historical Spanish syntax, philology, language variation and ecdotics.

The prize-winner studied her undergraduate degree in Hispanic language and literatures, followed by a master’s in teacher training and a PhD in Hispanic linguistics, at the Faculty of Philosophy and Arts at the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM). She has written ten books and edited 27, as well as hundreds of specialised articles, book chapters and many conference papers. Highlights include ‘La frase sustantiva en el español medieval’ (1992); ‘Documentos lingüísticos de la Nueva España’ (1994); ‘Léxico histórico del español de México’ (2000), and the seven volumes of the ‘Sintaxis histórica de la lengua española: La frase verbal (2006), La frase nominal (2009) and Adverbios, preposiciones y conjunciones’; ‘Relaciones internacionales’ (2014); ‘Corpus Diacrónico y Diatópico del Español de América’ (2012); ‘Los opuestos se tocan. Afectos y desafectos en la historia del español’ (2018); ‘Thomas Kuhn, revoluciones y paradigmas’ (2019), and ‘Una breve historia de la Lingüística’ (2019).

She has won several awards and honours, including the National University Award for Young Academics in 1992, the Wigberto Jiménez Moreno National Linguistics Award in 1995, and the National University Award for Humanities Research in 2012. She was appointed deputy chair of the International Association for the History of the Spanish Language in 2015 and was awarded the medal for merit from Veracruzana University. In 2016, she was named Emeritus Researcher at the UNAM. She was also inducted into the Mexican National College in the same year.

2020 Award

Dr Ruy Pérez Tamayo. 33rd UIMP Menéndez Pelayo International Award and Medal of Honour

Ruy Perez

Ruy Pérez Tamayo is from Mexico and the recipient of the 33rd Menéndez Pelayo International Award, sponsored by Viesgo, from the Universidad Internacional Menéndez Pelayo (UIMP), as well as the UIMP Medal of Honour.Ruy Perez. Ruy Pérez Tamayo is from Mexico and the recipient of the 33rd Menéndez Pelayo International Award, sponsored by Viesgo, from the Universidad Internacional Menéndez Pelayo (UIMP), as well as the UIMP Medal of Honour.

The jury recognised Pérez Tamayo ‘for his research career and wide scientific production of over 160 articles in specialised journals. His profile as a humanist, philosopher and historian highlights his universal, scientific and humanistic nature. In turn, his informative publications and concern for social structures are a sign of the social influences of his work. Last but not least, his international profile is worth special consideration’, as stated the minutes from the jury’s selection meeting.

Ruy Pérez Tamayo (Tampico, Mexico, 1924) was put forward for the award by the Mexican Academy of Language, where he sits as a member. He is a specialist doctor in pathology, and a follower of doctors Isaac Costero (Spain-Mexico), Gustave Dammin and Lauren V. Ackerman (USA). His research has made major contributions to medicine. These include a description of methionine’s effect on healing wounds and, for the first time in Mexico, illnesses such as pleural mesothelioma, cutaneous amoebiasis, cryptococcosis, bronchial emphysema and peritoneal mesothelioma.

As an academic, philosopher, historian and popular scientist, Ruy Pérez Tamayo does not limit himself to formal production cataloguing facts and theories on different aspects of nature, but also looks into the underlying philosophical basis, the history of their development, and the social structures where they occur and are expressed. This side of his work frames him as a great universal scientist and humanist.

2018 Award

Dr Aurora Egido. 32nd UIMP Menéndez Pelayo International Award and Medal of Honour for Academic Merit

Aurora Egido

The Universidad Internacional Menéndez Pelayo has awarded the 32nd Menéndez Pelayo International Award, sponsored by Viesgo, and the UIMP Medal of Honour to the Royal Spanish Academy member and Chair of Spanish Literature, Aurora Egido, in recognition of her commitment to recovering the ‘enriching’ dialogue between arts and sciences—a relationship that in her opinion has been ‘broken’ by the ‘devaluation of humanistic studies’.The Universidad Internacional Menéndez Pelayo has awarded the 32nd Menéndez Pelayo International Award, sponsored by Viesgo, and the UIMP Medal of Honour to the Royal Spanish Academy member and Chair of Spanish Literature, Aurora Egido, in recognition of her commitment to recovering the ‘enriching’ dialogue between arts and sciences—a relationship that in her opinion has been ‘broken’ by the ‘devaluation of humanistic studies’.

The chair states that ‘the current debate about the future and, especially, the present day in the humanities in the era of globalisation brings up a series of questions which were, to a great extent, already formulated in the Renaissance, the Enlightenment and later periods’.

She highlights ‘the separation between good humanities and scientific knowledge’, as well as ‘the loss of knowledge in classical languages on syllabi’.

‘The collateral damage to current education is clear in all fields with a concentration on boosting new technology and applied sciences over humanities and pure sciences’, she adds.

The RAE academician, philologist and chair in Spanish language, José Manuel Blecua, gave the commendation speech, praising the professional career of the prize-winner ‘defined by tremendous work’ and ‘extraordinary responsibility when accepting appointments’.

Aurora Egido (Molina de Aragón, Guadalajara, 1946) has been secretary of the RAE since 21st December 2017. Holding a degree and PhD in Spanish language from the University of Barcelona, and being professor emeritus in Spanish literature at the University of Zaragoza, she has lectured at different national universities and was Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Humanities and Course for International Students at the UIMP between 1985 and 1991.

In the words of Blecua, in all her posts Egido has demonstrated her ‘modern take on administration’, ‘as currently seen at the RAE Secretariat’. In this sense, she has established ‘an admirable professional biography’.

Photo: Juan Manuel Serrano

2017 Award

Dr. Juan Velarde Fuertes. 31st Menéndez Pelayo Award

Juan Velardeweb Dr. Juan Velarde Fuertes (Salas, 1927). An economist since 1947 and holding a PhD with an extraordinary distinction since 1956, Juan Velarde specialises in the Spanish economy, social security finances, contemporary Spanish economic thought and the economies of Latin America.Dr. Juan Velarde Fuertes (Salas, 1927). An economist since 1947 and holding a PhD with an extraordinary distinction since 1956, Juan Velarde specialises in the Spanish economy, social security finances, contemporary Spanish economic thought and the economies of Latin America.

The jury choose to recognise his wide extraordinary career that has led to major contributions to economic history and reflection through books and all types of publications. Juan Velarde has established an academic school with several economics researchers and lecturers, and undertakes outreach work with a major impact on the principles and social organisation underpinning the economic system.

He has taught at the Faculty of Politics and Economics in Madrid, working as an assistant lecturer, full professor and chair. He holds the Chair in Economic Structure at the University of Barcelona. He is also a professor emeritus at the Complutense University of Madrid (holding the Chair in Applied Economics), as well as at the San Pablo CEU University. He served as Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Politics and Economics in Madrid and was Vice Chancellor of the Hispanoamericana Santa María University from 1974 to 1977, (now part of the International University of Andalucía). He holds an honorary doctorate from the universities of Oviedo, Seville, Pontificia de Comillas, Alicante, Valladolid UNED and Francisco de Vitoria. He is also a full member of the Royal Academy of Moral and Political Science.

He joined the National Work Inspectorate in 1951, where he held the posts of deputy secretary for studies and director of the Institute for Labour and Social Security Studies. He was later general technical secretary of the ministries of development, education and science. He was also named a board member of the Court of Auditors in 1991.

He has chaired the Spanish Royal Geographical Society since 2002. His many awards include the Prince of Asturias Award for Social Sciences in 1992, the King James I Award for Economics in 1996 and the Gold Medal of Merit for Service in 2013.

2016 Award

Dr Miguel Ángel Garrido Gallardo. 30th Menéndez Pelayo International Award

Dr. Miguel Ángel Garrido Gallardo. Philologist. Full university professor and research professor at the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC). Internationally renowned for his contribution to the advancement of semiotics research in the field of Spanish Philology. He was the first chair of the Spanish Semiotics Association (1983-1987), a member of the executive committee of the International Association for Semiotic Studies (1983-1998), a member of the Committee of Experts at the Italian Encyclopaedia (1999-2001), chair of the Spanish Association of Literary Theory (2001-2005) and a supporter of the CSIC Institute of Spanish Language (2001-2002). He edited the CSIC Literature Review for 30 years (1980-2010) and is the current director of the Spanish Dictionary of International Literary Terms and the New Politics, Culture and Art Review. He is a corresponding academician at the Argentinean Academy for the Arts, the Chilean Academy of Language and the National Academy for the Arts in Uruguay. His many accolades include the Antonio de Nebrija Award (2011), the Julián Marías Award for Research into Human and Social Sciences (2012) and the Castelar Award (2013). He has written many books on language theory and Spanish language, literature and culture.Dr. Miguel Ángel Garrido Gallardo. Philologist. Full university professor and research professor at the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC). Internationally renowned for his contribution to the advancement of semiotics research in the field of Spanish Philology. He was the first chair of the Spanish Semiotics Association (1983-1987), a member of the executive committee of the International Association for Semiotic Studies (1983-1998), a member of the Committee of Experts at the Italian Encyclopaedia (1999-2001), chair of the Spanish Association of Literary Theory (2001-2005) and a supporter of the CSIC Institute of Spanish Language (2001-2002). He edited the CSIC Literature Review for 30 years (1980-2010) and is the current director of the Spanish Dictionary of International Literary Terms and the New Politics, Culture and Art Review. He is a corresponding academician at the Argentinean Academy for the Arts, the Chilean Academy of Language and the National Academy for the Arts in Uruguay. His many accolades include the Antonio de Nebrija Award (2011), the Julián Marías Award for Research into Human and Social Sciences (2012) and the Castelar Award (2013). He has written many books on language theory and Spanish language, literature and culture.

2015 Award

Dr Manuel Seco. 29th Menéndez Pelayo International Award

Manuel Seco. The lexicographer, philologist and Spanish linguist has been a member of the Spanish Royal Academy since 1980. He has written two of the most important lexicography work in Spanish and language use: the ‘Diccionario de dudas y dificultades de la lengua española’ and the ‘Diccionario del español actual’. He is honorary chair of the Spanish Association of Lexicography Studies and was the association’s first chair (2003-2004). He was also a board member of the Ramón Menéndez Pidal Foundation Trust (2004-2007). He is an honorary member of the Colombian Academy of Language and the Caro y Cuervo Institute in Bogota. He is also an honorary member of the Association of Spanish Teachers. He was awarded an honorary doctorate by the University of Alicante in 2010. A winner of the Region of Madrid Culture Award (1999), Manuel Seco holds the Grand Cross from the Civil Order of Alfonso X the Wise (1999).

2014 Award

Don Pedro Cerezco Galán. XXVIII Premio Internacional Menéndez Pelayo, 2014

2013 Award

img premio 2013

DR CIRIACO MORON ARROYO

XXVII Menendez Pelayo International Award, 2013

Professor and Spanish linguist, honorary researcher in the Discourse Analysis Group at the Spanish National Scientific Research Council’s Human and Social Sciences Centre. Dr Moron was Emerson Hinchliff Professor of Hispanic Studies at Cornell University (New York).