BILBAO, Spain, June 20, 2026 — Among more than 500 submissions from over 20 countries across Ibero-America, Ix Balam, a community-based initiative led by Guatemala’s Perbiperse Association, was awarded first place in the sixth edition of the “Óscar Arnulfo Romero” Ibero-American Human Rights Education Award, presented by the Organization of Ibero-American States for Education, Science and Culture (OEI).

The award was presented during the Ibero-American Human Rights Education Conference, held at the University of Deusto in Bilbao, Spain. The event brought together representatives of international organizations, academic institutions, human rights advocates, and civil society organizations from across the region.

The Guatemalan project was recognized for its community-centered work aimed at preventing violence and creating opportunities for young people, women, and children living in contexts of social exclusion.

Implemented in the municipality of Mixco through the Casa Abierta Comunitaria (Community Open House), Ix Balam promotes educational programs, psychosocial support, youth entrepreneurship, and values-based learning. The initiative uses art, culture, and peacebuilding as tools to strengthen social cohesion and community development.

According to the international jury, the project offers an effective response to the violence affecting many communities throughout the region by creating spaces for learning, participation, and social transformation grounded in a human rights approach. The initiative currently benefits nearly 1,000 people each year.

The distinction is particularly significant given the scale of the competition. This year’s edition of the award received more than 500 nominations from across Ibero-America. Since its creation in 2015, the award has highlighted initiatives that promote a culture of peace, social inclusion, democratic citizenship, and the defense of human rights through education.

Guatemala Represented on the International Jury

Guatemalan leader Olinda Salguero participates as a member of the international jury of the VI Ibero-American Human Rights Education Award in Bilbao, Spain.

Guatemalan leader Olinda Salguero, chair of the board of directors of Fundación Esquipulas and Central America regional representative of Global Peace Foundation, served on the international jury responsible for evaluating the initiatives submitted to this year’s competition.

Salguero joined a panel of experts and institutional representatives from several countries selected by the OEI to identify the most innovative and impactful experiences in advancing human rights through education.

“Initiatives such as Ix Balam demonstrate that human rights education can transform communities, create opportunities for young people, and strengthen democratic coexistence at the local level,” Salguero said during the conference in Bilbao.

The presence of Guatemalan representatives both among the award recipients and within the international evaluation process reflects the country’s continued contribution to regional discussions and experiences related to education, citizenship, and peacebuilding.

Education as a Tool to Strengthen Democracy

The award ceremony was attended by OEI Secretary General Mariano Jabonero, Spain’s Ombudsman Ángel Gabilondo, representatives of the Basque Government, the Spanish Agency for International Development Cooperation (AECID), the University of Deusto, and other institutions committed to the promotion of human rights.

Throughout the conference, participants emphasized that education remains an essential tool for strengthening democratic coexistence, fostering social inclusion, and addressing contemporary challenges such as polarization, disinformation, exclusion, and hate speech.

The recognition granted to Ix Balam represents encouraging news for Guatemala and highlights the impact that community-based initiatives can achieve when they place human dignity, participation, and a culture of peace at the center of their work.

For the Global Peace Foundation, initiatives like Ix Balam reflect how peacebuilding begins at the community level—through education, shared values, and practical opportunities that help young people, families, and local leaders build trust, strengthen dignity, and work together for the common good.

Based on information provided by the Organization of Ibero-American States for Education, Science and Culture (OEI). Photographs courtesy of the OEI