The “Unamuno, Friend of Protestants” Award was presented on Saturday at the Lorenzana Palace in Trujillo (Cáceres, Extremadura) to celebrate the times of tolerance we live in and to underline the importance of rescuing from the collective memory figures from Spain’s past who have long been ignored or silenced.

Among these illustrious figures are prominent Protestants such as Casiodoro de Reina and Cipriano de Valera, Bible translators.

Five centuries ago, they were persecuted in the land where they were born and had to live in exile after embracing a faith that was fiercely persecuted by the Spanish Inquisition. However, their legacy has survived to the present day thanks to their works, notably the translation of the Bible into Spanish, a universal work with an unparalleled impact on the history of Hispanic literature worldwide.

A courageous exercise in memory

For a decade, the Real Academia de las Letras y las Artes de Extremadura (RAEx, Royal Academy of Literature and Arts of Extremadura) has been dedicating effort and resources to raising awareness of this legacy in the cultural, social and academic spheres. This was highlighted in his speech by Emilio Monjo, director of the Centre for Research on Spanish Protestantism, who was moved as he expressed his gratitude for this work to recover the memory and work of these authors who, in times not so long ago, were banned by the authorities.

Pedro Tarquis, director general of Areópago Protestante (the media group of Evangelical Focus), highlighted the history of the award, now in its sixteenth edition. “We want to show our gratitude to those who, without being Protestants, have worked for the good, have shown themselves to be friends, and have contributed to the normalisation of the evangelical presence in society”, he said before presenting the award.

It was received on behalf of the Royal Academy by its director, María del Mar Lozano Bartolozzi. Almost all the academics were present at the ceremony, as well as representatives of various political forces in the Extremadura Assembly. “We are very happy to receive this award, which in previous editions has been given to such distinguished individuals as Antonio Muñoz Molina, José Luis Villacañas, Alberto Ruiz-Gallardon, and institutions such as the University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria”, said María del Mar Lozano.

[photo_footer] Protestant historian Emilio Monjo and RAEx director María del Mar Lozano. / Photo: RAEx [/photo_footer] 

The president of the Royal Academy of Literature and Arts of Extremadura highlighted the institution’s commitment to rescuing key figures of Spanish Protestantism. “The Academy has done justice to these important humanists”, she said, referring to Casiodoro de Reina and Cipriano de Valera, “whose relevance we wanted to be the subject of lectures and debates within our research activities”.

Lozano also said that publications, institutional recognition and greater awareness in Extremadura of this legacy. “This conference helped Extremadura to get to know these figures better, without prejudice or silence”, she concluded, expressing her gratitude for the award as an incentive to continue promoting research with “intellectual freedom and research excellence”.

Carmen Fernández-Daza, writer, essayist and director of the Santa Ana University Centre in Almendralejo, commented that “the best translation of the Bible is that of Casiodoro de Reina”. This university centre was the venue for some of the activities organised by the RAEx on Cipriano de Valera and Casiodoro de Reina  in the past.

“It was an honour to host these conferences to promote not only humanism, but also communion between different faith confessions”, added the Extremaduran academic. “Historical errors cannot be repaired, but we can ensure that now, in the 21st century, their legacy and mark are rescued. However, there is still much to be done”, said Carmen Fernández.

[photo_footer] Pedro Tarquis and María del Mar Lozano. / Photo: RAEx [/photo_footer] 

Also present at the event was Jorge Farfán, representative of the Evangelical Council of Extremadura. “The RAEx has shown great interest in rescuing the memory of the Bible translators, for which we are grateful”.

Farfán also expressed his conviction that it is an opportunity to continue deepening collaboration with academic and cultural entities for mutual benefit. “As evangelical leaders, we need to connect so many of our Latin American brothers and sisters and the new generations with the rich past of Spanish Protestantism”, he said.

[photo_footer] The Unamuno Prize, Friend of Protestants, awarded  to RAEx in 2015 / Photo: RAEx [/photo_footer] 

In addition to the members of the Royal Academy, the event was attended by representatives of Extremadura society and politicians such as the Secretary General for Culture of Extremadura, Francisco Palomino, the spokesperson for Vox-Extremadura, Álvaro Sánchez-Ocaña, the party coordinator in Trujillo, Fernando Bravo, and the PSOE-Extremadura MP Miriam García Cabezas, who is responsible for culture and heritage in the Social Democratic party.

The award ceremony was preceded by a lecture by Miguel del Barco Gallego, a prominent musician and reviver of Extremaduran folklore, who shared some of Manuel García Matos’ works.

For the director of Protestante Digital and author of this article, events such as this allow the media outlet to fulfil an essential part of its mission, connecting evangelical Protestantism with society and showing that it is possible to build bridges for a more tolerant, open and friendly Spain.

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