Archena Youth Group Wins Regional Honor

The Organización Juvenil Española branch in Archena was one of the winners at the Región de Murcia Youth Awards ceremony held on May 21 at Teatro Vico in Jumilla. The regional government said OJE de Archena received the Sustainability award for its environmental protection work and environmental education. The ceremony covered the 2025 edition of the awards, even though it was held in 2026. Regional president Fernando López Miras used the event to praise young people’s role in the region’s social and civic life. ### Which award did the Archena group actually win? OJE de Archena received the Premio de Sostenibilidad, according to the regional government and La Razón’s account of the ceremony. The citation given by organizers was its “compromiso con la protección del medio ambiente y la educación ambiental,” placing the Archena group in the sustainability category rather than a general participation prize. (carm.es) The Premios Juventud de la Región de Murcia are designed to recognize young people and public or private entities whose work affects the political, social, economic and cultural development of youth, according to the national youth institute’s listing for the call. The awards are honorary and come with a sculpture and diploma, not cash. (carm.es) ### Where was the ceremony, and who was there? Teatro Vico in Jumilla hosted the ceremony, where Fernando López Miras appeared alongside the winners. The regional government said the event honored recipients across seven categories: Joven del Año, Joven Embajador de la Región de Murcia, Participación, Igualdad, Sostenibilidad, Inclusión Social and Solidaridad. (injuve.es) Fernando López Miras said during the event that “la modernidad, los avances y las grandes transformaciones los han liderado los jóvenes” and added that, “gracias a su impulso, hacen que la Región de Murcia crezca,” according to the regional government’s statement. He also said the awards recognize “el talento, la creatividad y la sostenibilidad” of young people and organizations in the region. (carm.es) ### Why does OJE de Archena’s recognition stand out locally? Archena had already held its own youth gala in April, underscoring the municipality’s active youth programming before the regional awards were announced. The town’s event was organized by the municipal youth department and attended by local officials and the regional youth director, Carmen María Muñoz, according to a report citing the town hall. (carm.es) Patricia Fernández, the mayor of Archena, said at that local gala that the municipality was recognizing academic effort, creativity in digital communication and social commitment among young people. That local context helps explain why a youth organization from Archena was in position to be visible at the regional level, though the regional award itself was specifically for sustainability work by OJE. (murcia.com) ### Who else won at the Murcia youth awards? Paula Pan received the Joven del Año award, while racing driver Máximo Martínez Quiles was named Joven Embajador de la Región. The youth branch of the Hermandad de la Virgen de las Maravillas de Cehegín won in Participación, and the Centro Europeo de Empresas e Innovación de Murcia, or Ceeim, won in Igualdad. (murcia.com) José Luis Martínez Puche and Asociación Intedis were recognized in Inclusión Social, while the Consejo Local de la Juventud de Mula and Red Internacional B-Live were honored in Solidaridad. The list places OJE de Archena among a field of winners drawn from different parts of the region and from both individual and organizational work. (carm.es) ### How do these awards work from here? The Región de Murcia’s youth awards are annual, according to the information published through Injuve for the regional call. Eligible candidates can include youth entities listed in the regional census, public administrations, schools, universities and nonprofit organizations, depending on the terms of the call. (carm.es) The next concrete step is the publication of the next annual convocatoria by the Consejería de Turismo, Cultura, Juventud y Deportes, which sets the application window and categories for a new edition. For the 2025 edition, the application period ran from September 11 to October 15, 2025, according to the Injuve listing. (injuve.es)