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Award

Prince of Asturias Award for International Cooperation 2003

Sculpture of the Princess of Asturias Awards, with elements of Miró's iconography, in a 2021 photo (illustrative image of the award; it does not show the presentation to Lula).
Sculpture of the Princess of Asturias Awards, with elements of Miró's iconography, in a 2021 photo (illustrative image of the award; it does not show the presentation to Lula).Image: Yeray Menéndez (Princess of Asturias Foundation), CC BY-SA

Documentary record

The jury of the "Prince of Asturias Award for International Cooperation" decided, by majority, to grant the 2003 award to Lula da Silva, according to the minutes published by the awarding foundation.[1]

The jury minutes are dated Oviedo, June 18, 2003.[2]

The jury stated that it recognized his trajectory in defense of workers and against poverty, inequality, and corruption.[3]

In the acceptance speech published by the awarding foundation, Lula says he receives the prize on behalf of the Brazilian people.[4]

According to Agência Brasil, on October 24, 2003 Lula arrived in Oviedo to receive the prize, and the delegation would return to Brazil the same day, right after the award ceremony.[5]

According to Agência Brasil, Lula would receive 50 thousand euros, an amount that had already been donated to the World Fund to Combat Poverty.[6]

According to Agência Brasil, in a dispatch of June 18, 2003, Lula was chosen that morning to receive the 2003 Prince of Asturias International Cooperation prize.[7]

Sources and evidence

Excerpts are quoted in the original language of the source.

  1. 1. The jury of the "Prince of Asturias Award for International Cooperation" decided, by majority, to grant the 2003 award to Lula da Silva, according to the minutes published by the awarding foundation.

    • Lula da Silva - Fundación Princesa de Asturias (Minutes of the jury) · Princess of Asturias Foundation Granting institution
      Where: Jury minutes, paragraph 1 (end). Accessed October 13, 2026.
      “chaired by Leopoldo Calvo Sotelo and with D. Teodoro López-Cuesta acting as secretary, have agreed by majority vote to bestow the 2003 Prince of Asturias Award for International Cooperation to D. Inácio Lula da Silva.”
    • Lula da Silva - Fundación Princesa de Asturias (Minutes of the jury), cópia arquivada pelo Internet Archive em 08/10/2024 · Princess of Asturias Foundation Granting institution
      Read from an archived copy (Internet Archive (Wayback Machine), captured October 8, 2024); original address: www.fpa.es. The archive preserves the copy; the author is Princess of Asturias Foundation.
      Where: Jury minutes, paragraph 1 (end). Accessed October 14, 2026.
      “chaired by Leopoldo Calvo Sotelo and with D. Teodoro López-Cuesta acting as secretary, have agreed by majority vote to bestow the 2003 Prince of Asturias Award for International Cooperation to D. Inácio Lula da Silva.”

  2. 2. The jury minutes are dated Oviedo, June 18, 2003.

  3. 3. The jury stated that it recognized his trajectory in defense of workers and against poverty, inequality, and corruption.

    • Lula da Silva - Fundación Princesa de Asturias (Minutes of the jury) · Princess of Asturias Foundation Granting institution
      Where: Jury minutes, paragraph 2. Accessed October 13, 2026.
      “With its decision, the Jury wishes to recognise a political and personal career in defence of workers and in the fight against poverty, inequality and corruption, which have caused so much suffering to the cast-offs of his country and of the world as a whole.”
    • Lula da Silva - Fundación Princesa de Asturias (Minutes of the jury), cópia arquivada pelo Internet Archive em 08/10/2024 · Princess of Asturias Foundation Granting institution
      Read from an archived copy (Internet Archive (Wayback Machine), captured October 8, 2024); original address: www.fpa.es. The archive preserves the copy; the author is Princess of Asturias Foundation.
      Where: Jury minutes, paragraph 2. Accessed October 14, 2026.
      “With its decision, the Jury wishes to recognise a political and personal career in defence of workers and in the fight against poverty, inequality and corruption, which have caused so much suffering to the cast-offs of his country and of the world as a whole.”

  4. 4. In the acceptance speech published by the awarding foundation, Lula says he receives the prize on behalf of the Brazilian people.

  5. 5. According to Agência Brasil, on October 24, 2003 Lula arrived in Oviedo to receive the prize, and the delegation would return to Brazil the same day, right after the award ceremony.

  6. 6. According to Agência Brasil, Lula would receive 50 thousand euros, an amount that had already been donated to the World Fund to Combat Poverty.

  7. 7. According to Agência Brasil, in a dispatch of June 18, 2003, Lula was chosen that morning to receive the 2003 Prince of Asturias International Cooperation prize.

    • Lula is awarded Prince of Asturias International Coopération prize · Agência Brasil (EBC) Press
      Where: first paragraph. Accessed October 14, 2026.
      “Assunción (Paraguay), June 18, 2003 (Agência Brasil - ABr) - President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva was chosen this morning to receive the 2003 Prince of Asturias International Cooperation prize.”