As part of the celebrations for the International Day of the Educating City, the governemnt of Catalonia announced the launch of an Educating City Award named after Pilar Figueras Bellot, Director of the First International Congress of Educating Cities (Barcelona, 1990) and General Secretary of the International Association of Educating Cities for 18 years. This initiative serves as a tribute to Ms. Pilar Figueras’ legacy in advancing education. She opened the doors and windows of Barcelona to showcase its best practices to the world while broadening our perspectives.

The International Education Award of Catalonia Pilar Figueras will be held every two years and will recognize individuals and organizations that have made a significant impact on the design of global educational systems, thereby contributing to the enrichment and improvement of education worldwide. This award highlights the international projection of educational sciences in Catalonia.

The launch event, co-organized with the City Council of Barcelona and the International Association of Educating Cities, took place at the Gabriel García Márquez Library in Barcelona. It was attended by mayors from various Catalan cities, along with other prominent figures in the field of education. Attendees had the opportunity to tour the library’s facilities, learn about the initiatives being developed there, and participate in a dialogue featuring the mayors of Granollers and Reus as well as the mayor of Olot, moderated by journalist Milagros Pérez Oliva.