Queen Sofía Spanish Institute facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Queen Sofia Spanish Institute

Founded	June 9, 1954
Type	Cultural institution
Location	Offices at 575 Madison Avenue New York, NY 10022
Product	Spanish cultural
Endowment	Yes
Employees	3
Website	queensofiaspanishinstitute.org

The Queen Sofía Spanish Institute is an organization in New York City. It was created to share the amazing culture of Spanish speaking countries with people in the United States. It also helps build good relationships between these countries. You can find its offices in Manhattan, New York.

What is the Queen Sofía Spanish Institute?

The Queen Sofía Spanish Institute is a non-profit group. This means it doesn't aim to make money. It was started in 1954. Its main goal is to help people in America learn about the art, culture, language, and history of the Spanish-speaking world.

It also works to help Spanish-speaking people understand the culture of the United States. This helps create strong friendships and understanding between different countries.

How the Institute Started

Early Years and New Home

The Institute officially became a non-profit organization on May 18, 1954. It was set up under the laws of New York State.

In 1965, a kind person named Margaret Rockefeller Strong helped save an important building at 684 Park Avenue from being torn down. With her help, this building became the Institute's main office.

Renaming and New Focus

In 2003, the Institute was renamed to honor Queen Sofía of Spain. She became a special supporter of the organization.

In 2014, the building on Park Avenue was sold. After that, the Institute began to work with other groups. They started to co-sponsor talks, educational programs, and other cultural events.

Working with Partners

In 2018, the Institute teamed up with the Hispanic Society. Together, they created a special program about maps and globes for public schools in New York City.

The Institute also works with many other important partners. These include the Instituto Cervantes, Hunter College, Juilliard, the Spanish Consulate, and the Americas Society.

Fun Cultural Events

The Institute hosts many different artistic events. They help put on art shows and talks about important art movements and artists.

They also support performance arts like concerts and shows. The Institute even holds food events! These events help Americans learn about the delicious foods from Spanish-speaking countries. They also bring people together to share and enjoy.

The Institute also gives out a special award for translators. This award celebrates people who do a great job translating books from Spanish into English. This helps more people read and learn from Spanish literature.

Special Awards and Honors

Gold Medal Gala

From 1978, the Queen Sofía Spanish Institute gave out a special Gold Medal every year. This award honored people from America and Spanish-speaking countries. It recognized those who helped improve relationships between the United States and the Spanish-speaking world.

This event was a big celebration. It brought together important leaders and supporters from around the world. The Gala also helped raise money for the Institute's activities.

In 2003, the Institute celebrated its 50th birthday. To mark this special occasion, a unique 50th Anniversary Commemorative Medal was given to King Juan Carlos I and Queen Sofia of Spain.

The Institute no longer holds the Gold Medal Gala.

Past Gold Medal Winners

Here are some of the people who received the Gold Medal:

Sophia Award for Excellence

The Institute also gives out the "Sophia Award for Excellence" each year. This award honors a person or group that has helped the world appreciate Spain and the Americas. They do this by sharing their time, skills, and knowledge in science, arts, or humanities.

Translation Prize

To help more people in the United States discover Spanish books, the Queen Sofía Spanish Institute created a special prize. Every three years, a $10,000 award is given for the best English translation of a book by a Spanish author.

The first award was given in 2010. It went to Edith Grossman for her translation of Antonio Muñoz Molina's book, A Manuscript of Ashes.

See also

In Spanish: Queen Sofía Spanish Institute para niños

• Instituto Cervantes

Images for kids

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  The logo of the Queen Sofía Spanish Institute.