The legacy of a young Spanish teacher who was tragically killed in Ireland will live on through a new award offering students from her home town a life-changing educational experience.
Belen Arana, from Trebujena in Cadiz, was just 23 when she died after being struck by a vehicle in Dublin in May.
Her father, Francisco Arana, told The Spanish Eye today that the awards were intended to ensure his daughter’s work continued to benefit young people long after her death.
She had been living in Ireland and working at Apollo Language Centre, where she combined her passion for languages with a determination to create opportunities for young people.
Every summer, Belen helped organise language immersion programmes in Dublin for students from Trebujena, allowing them to improve their English, experience Irish culture and broaden their horizons.
Now, that connection between the two communities will continue in her name.
Trebujena Town Council will officially present the first Belen Arana Academic Excellence Awards on October 20, in partnership with NLD Education and Apollo Language Centre.
The initiative is open to students aged between 12 and 17 who were born in or live in Trebujena.
Its main prize will be a fully funded, two-week educational and linguistic immersion programme in Ireland from July 18 to August 1, 2027.
Alongside English lessons and an introduction to Irish culture, the programme will focus on leadership, critical thinking, empathy, citizenship and personal development.
Organisers say the award will recognise not only academic results, but also effort, progress, curiosity and a willingness to learn – values closely associated with Belén and her work.
Belen had graduated in Translation and Interpreting, specialising in English and German, before beginning to build her professional life in Ireland.
But the project also carries a deeply personal meaning for the family.
When they travelled to Ireland following Belen’s death, her friends and colleagues at Apollo Language Centre supported them through what Francisco described as the most painful and unimaginable moment of their lives.
Ailen, Belen’s friend and colleague, together with Apollo directors Aoife and Steve, remained beside the family from the beginning.
‘They were not our family. They had no obligation to us. But they behaved like family,’ Francisco said.
‘Their kindness towards us is something we will never forget.’
The Apollo representatives will travel from Dublin to Trebujena for the presentation of the awards, reflecting both their commitment to the project and their continuing affection for Belen and her family.
The ceremony will also include a symbolic exchange between the two communities.
Irish flags are already flying in Trebujena, while Belen’s family will present Apollo Language Centre with a Trebujena flag to be displayed at its Dublin school.
For the family, the gesture represents the friendship between two places brought together by their daughter.
‘Her name is once again bringing Trebujena and Ireland together,’ Francisco said.
Belen was fatally injured in a collision on the N11 Bray Road in Loughlinstown, south Dublin. She had been living in Greystones, County Wicklow, and working as an English-language teacher at the time.
Following her death, Trebujena declared three days of official mourning for a young woman whose work had already touched the lives of families across the town.
Her father hopes the awards will ensure the focus now falls not only on the tragedy, but also on everything Belén achieved and the opportunities she wanted other young people to enjoy.
‘This is a story about much more than a tragedy,’ Francisco said.
‘It is about education, young people, friendship, generosity and the way a person can continue to make a difference even after they are gone.
‘Belen’s story did not end that day. In some way, it is continuing.’
