Museum of Words facts for kids
The Museum of Words (or Museo de la Palabra in Spanish) is a special place in Quero, Spain, which is a town in the province of Toledo, Spain. It's run by the Cesar Egido Serrano Foundation, which is a group that doesn't make money for itself. Instead, its main goal is to use art and talking (dialogue) to help different cultures and religions get along and find peace.
Important people, like ambassadors from different countries, help guide the Foundation. They all believe in the power of words to bring people together.
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How the Museum Began
The Museum of Words first opened its doors on November 23, 2009. The President of the Castilla la Mancha region, José María Barreda Fontes, was there for the opening. On that very day, the museum also held its first ever Flash Fiction Competition. Because of this, November 23 is now celebrated as the International Day of Words!
The Exciting Flash Fiction Competition
Every two years, the Museum of Words hosts a super cool writing contest called the "Flash Fiction Competition." It's a big deal because the winner gets a prize of $20,000! There are also three smaller prizes of $2,000 for other top stories.
Writers from all over the world can enter. They can write their stories in Spanish, English, Arabic, or Hebrew. The most interesting part? Each story can only be 100 words long! This makes it one of the most rewarding contests for each word written. Many thousands of stories have been entered over the years.
For example, in one competition, 119 countries sent in 22,571 stories! A group of 21 ambassadors helped choose the winners. In another contest, an amazing 35,609 stories came in from 149 different countries. It shows how many people love to share their ideas through short stories!
Ambassadors of the Word
Since November 23, 2014, the Museum of Words has given a special honor to writers. This honor is called "Ambassador of the Word." It's given to authors whose books and writings help promote peace and understanding between people. It's a way to celebrate those who use their words to make the world a better place.
More Information
- Museo de la Palabra website
See also
In Spanish: Museo de la Palabra (España) para niños
