diff --git a/invenio_vocabularies/contrib/awards/datastreams.py b/invenio_vocabularies/contrib/awards/datastreams.py
index 789d878f..cf66c488 100644
--- a/invenio_vocabularies/contrib/awards/datastreams.py
+++ b/invenio_vocabularies/contrib/awards/datastreams.py
@@ -122,7 +122,7 @@ def apply(self, stream_entry, **kwargs):
         if "endDate" in record:
             award["end_date"] = record["endDate"]
         if "summary" in record:
-            award["description"] = record["summary"]
+            award["description"] = {"en": record["summary"]}
 
         stream_entry.entry = award
         return stream_entry
diff --git a/invenio_vocabularies/contrib/awards/jsonschemas/awards/award-v1.0.0.json b/invenio_vocabularies/contrib/awards/jsonschemas/awards/award-v1.0.0.json
index 398148ee..15dc12e8 100644
--- a/invenio_vocabularies/contrib/awards/jsonschemas/awards/award-v1.0.0.json
+++ b/invenio_vocabularies/contrib/awards/jsonschemas/awards/award-v1.0.0.json
@@ -50,7 +50,7 @@
       "type": "string"
     },
     "description": {
-      "type": "string"
+      "$ref": "local://vocabularies/definitions-v1.0.0.json#/description"
     },
     "subjects": {
       "description": "Award's subjects.",
diff --git a/invenio_vocabularies/contrib/awards/mappings/os-v1/awards/award-v1.0.0.json b/invenio_vocabularies/contrib/awards/mappings/os-v1/awards/award-v1.0.0.json
index 84b5e6e2..78d95dda 100644
--- a/invenio_vocabularies/contrib/awards/mappings/os-v1/awards/award-v1.0.0.json
+++ b/invenio_vocabularies/contrib/awards/mappings/os-v1/awards/award-v1.0.0.json
@@ -9,6 +9,15 @@
             "type": "search_as_you_type"
           }
         }
+      },
+      {
+        "i18n_description": {
+          "path_match": "description.*",
+          "match_mapping_type": "string",
+          "mapping": {
+            "type": "text"
+          }
+        }
       }
     ],
     "dynamic": "strict",
@@ -70,7 +79,8 @@
         "type": "date"
       },
       "description": {
-        "type": "text"
+        "type": "object",
+        "dynamic": "true"
       },
       "program": {
         "type": "keyword"
diff --git a/invenio_vocabularies/contrib/awards/mappings/os-v2/awards/award-v1.0.0.json b/invenio_vocabularies/contrib/awards/mappings/os-v2/awards/award-v1.0.0.json
index 84b5e6e2..78d95dda 100644
--- a/invenio_vocabularies/contrib/awards/mappings/os-v2/awards/award-v1.0.0.json
+++ b/invenio_vocabularies/contrib/awards/mappings/os-v2/awards/award-v1.0.0.json
@@ -9,6 +9,15 @@
             "type": "search_as_you_type"
           }
         }
+      },
+      {
+        "i18n_description": {
+          "path_match": "description.*",
+          "match_mapping_type": "string",
+          "mapping": {
+            "type": "text"
+          }
+        }
       }
     ],
     "dynamic": "strict",
@@ -70,7 +79,8 @@
         "type": "date"
       },
       "description": {
-        "type": "text"
+        "type": "object",
+        "dynamic": "true"
       },
       "program": {
         "type": "keyword"
diff --git a/invenio_vocabularies/contrib/awards/mappings/v7/awards/award-v1.0.0.json b/invenio_vocabularies/contrib/awards/mappings/v7/awards/award-v1.0.0.json
index 84b5e6e2..78d95dda 100644
--- a/invenio_vocabularies/contrib/awards/mappings/v7/awards/award-v1.0.0.json
+++ b/invenio_vocabularies/contrib/awards/mappings/v7/awards/award-v1.0.0.json
@@ -9,6 +9,15 @@
             "type": "search_as_you_type"
           }
         }
+      },
+      {
+        "i18n_description": {
+          "path_match": "description.*",
+          "match_mapping_type": "string",
+          "mapping": {
+            "type": "text"
+          }
+        }
       }
     ],
     "dynamic": "strict",
@@ -70,7 +79,8 @@
         "type": "date"
       },
       "description": {
-        "type": "text"
+        "type": "object",
+        "dynamic": "true"
       },
       "program": {
         "type": "keyword"
diff --git a/invenio_vocabularies/contrib/awards/schema.py b/invenio_vocabularies/contrib/awards/schema.py
index 29c807de..99a919d0 100644
--- a/invenio_vocabularies/contrib/awards/schema.py
+++ b/invenio_vocabularies/contrib/awards/schema.py
@@ -61,8 +61,6 @@ class AwardSchema(BaseVocabularySchema, ModePIDFieldVocabularyMixin):
 
     organizations = fields.List(fields.Nested(AwardOrganizationRelationSchema))
 
-    description = SanitizedUnicode()
-
     start_date = ISODateString()
 
     end_date = ISODateString()
diff --git a/invenio_vocabularies/records/jsonschemas/vocabularies/definitions-v1.0.0.json b/invenio_vocabularies/records/jsonschemas/vocabularies/definitions-v1.0.0.json
index 62a7362a..0fa5ff36 100644
--- a/invenio_vocabularies/records/jsonschemas/vocabularies/definitions-v1.0.0.json
+++ b/invenio_vocabularies/records/jsonschemas/vocabularies/definitions-v1.0.0.json
@@ -8,6 +8,15 @@
       }
     }
   },
+  "description": {
+    "type": "object",
+    "description": "Description of vocabulary item. Keys are locale codes.",
+    "patternProperties": {
+      "^[a-z]{2}$": {
+        "type": "string"
+      }
+    }
+  },
   "icon": {
     "type": "string"
   },