MADRID, July 24 (Xinhua) -- Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva and Mexican writer Carlos Fuentes were awarded the "Don Quijote de la Mancha" prize for their contribution to promoting Spanish language and culture, the Santillana Foundation and Spain's Castilla-La Mancha authorities announced Thursday.

    Head of the Castilla-La Mancha authorities Jose Maria Barreda and Director of the Santillana Foundation Emiliano Martinez announced the decision taken by the panel of adjudicators who gathered in Toledo in central Spain.

    The Best Institutional Work Prize was given to Lula for his support to a law under which more than 9 million Brazilian students from secondary and high schools should learn the Spanish language.

    Barreda praised Lula's contribution, noting it boosts the development of Spanish teaching methods.

    The Outstanding Individual Prize was given to Fuentes for his influential works as a dedication to the Spanish language and culture.

    Fuentes, as one the most famous intellectuals in the Hispanic-American population, has helped spread Spanish as an international language, Barreda said.

    The awarding ceremony will be held in October, and each laureate will get 25,000 euros (some 39,250 U.S. dollars).