Prince of Asturias Awards 1981–2014. Speeches

P rince of A sturias A wards 1981-2014. S peeches 5 Matías Rodríguez Inciarte — President of the Princess of Asturias Foundation Last year, following from the proclamation of Felipe as King of Spain, Princess Leonor became Honorary President of our institution and our awards were renamed the Princess of Asturias Awards. We believed it was then time to publish the speeches given by HMThe King at the 1981- 2014 Awards Ceremonies as a compendium of years that evoke memories and moments of such significance for us. The Call for the 2015 Awards gave continuity to what has been an ever-growing endeavour for our institution throughout thirty-four years. This publication provides the opportunity to place that firm and steady evolution on record, an evolution that has brought us so much gratification. The texts published here thus remind us where we have come from, while at the same time illuminating our future. The words of the Laureates and HMThe King —always touching, socially committed and evocative— situate us in a time which, from the past, continues to call on and move us to continue along the path already laid out in 1980 by the Foundation and its Awards: that of commitment to society, that of recognizing the finest in culture, science, sports and humanitarian actions. The path of excellence and solidarity.