Here are the winners of the José María Soler Awards 2025

The jury of the José María Soler Research Awards 2025 has announced the winners of this year's edition. The awarded works are 'Pilar Hernando Asensio, a Republican teacher in Villena' by Ignacio Ballester Pardo from Villena in the Scientific-Humanistic category, and 'The XXII Department of Cabezo Redondo (Villena)' by Paula Martin de la Sierra Pareja from Elche, in the Archaeology category.

The Councillor for Culture, María Server, highlighted that these awards represent an "exceptional commitment to research and help preserve the cultural identity of our community. I want to congratulate the winners for their outstanding work, thank all participants, and encourage continued participation in future editions."

Paula Martin de la Sierra Pareja, awarded in the Archaeology category, is a History graduate and holds a master's degree in Archaeology from the University of Alicante. She is part of the University Institute for Research in Archaeology and Heritage of this university. Meanwhile, Ignacio Ballester Pardo is a graduate in Hispanic Philology from the UA and is an assistant professor and doctor in innovation and didactic training at the Faculty of Education of this university. Both works will be published by the Foundation and will be part of the heritage exchange it conducts with other national and international entities.

The student awards were as follows: Category A, for students of 1st and 2nd year of ESO, went to 'Voices from the Past, Myths, Legends, and Traditions of the Town of Biar' by Carlos Piñeiro Guill from 1st year of ESO at IES de Biar. He will receive 400 euros and a diploma.

In this category, an honourable mention will be awarded to 'The Architecture of Water' by Ángela Soriano Hernández from 1st year of ESO at IES de Biar, who will receive a diploma.

In Category B, for students of 3rd and 4th year of ESO and intermediate level vocational training, the winner was the work 'José García Hidalgo (1645 – 1717) 380th Anniversary of the Birth of a Genius' by Juan Amado Martínez López from 4th year of ESO at Colegio Nuestra Señora de los Dolores in Villena. His prize is 450 euros and a diploma.

An honourable mention in this category was also awarded to the work 'Doña María Gosálbez Sánchez. Love for Teaching' by Fuencisla Navarro Palao from 3rd year of ESO at Nuestra Señora de los Dolores in Villena. She will receive a diploma.

Category C, for high school and higher level vocational training, was left vacant.

Loli Fenoll, director of the José María Soler Foundation, announced that the awards will be presented on December 1st and will be available on the Foundation's website.

"Once again, we are here from our foundation, which is everyone's foundation, announcing these awards to promote knowledge and increase the heritage of Villena. And we do so in a very special year, 75 years ago the Ministry of Culture appointed Don José María Soler as local commissioner of archaeological excavations of the Directorate General of Fine Arts, and 75 years ago he was appointed chronicler of the city of Villena and archivist," concluded Fenoll.