Prince of Asturias Awards 1981–2014. Speeches

3 P rince of A sturias A wards 1981-2014. S peeches Speech VII The dynamic tradition of these Awards, which honour me by bearing my name, are once more renewed and exalted in the 1987 edition, with the presence of Their Majesties The King and Queen and those of you who have earned our recognition and admiration by virtue of your broad-ranging messages of creativity, dedication and intellectual energy. Our family has grown, spread out and become popularised since the instigation of these Awards, whose fame and prestige now extend far and wide. It was in 1981 when, in this same place, I spoke my first words in public. I remember the unease of those first moments very well, upon congratulating the illustrious personalities that were honoured at that time. It was a natural unease as I engaged in the process of learning the tasks that pertain to me. It must be said that this Foundation, with its extraordinary outreach and its open fostering of cultural activities, work and the implementation of the most select moral faculties, constitutes one of the fundamental points of reference for my conduct. On this occasion, fruit of the vitality that guided the creation of these Awards, the distinction has been extended to the world of sports. It was precisely Juan Antonio Samaranch, President of the International Olympic Committee, who, at last year’s ceremony, suggested the creation of this Award which introduces a youthful element to the overall range of facets that prized here. And the now honoured Sebastian Coe, the great champion, comes to symbolise the nobility and demanding spirit that goes hand in hand with athletics. You are a much-welcomed addition to this group of the humanities, literature, arts, communications, peace, concord, solidarity and cooperation with Ibero-America that unfolds every year on this stage in this Asturias that always finds a way to rise above itself. In their lives and work, all of the Laureates invite us to be better in our activities. The ideals of men and societies cannot be limited to impressive conceptual and philosophical declarations, because, if they were to remain on the level of pure rhetoric, then they would be devoid of all utility. Science, poetry and technology —progress in short— is made day by day, hour by hour, and minute by minute. They represent the fruit of the assiduity and effort of an ongoing personal and collective task in which —as in athletic trials— fatigue and discouragement must be overcome. This is the message to be taken from these Awards. It is frommy condition as a Spaniard rather than from the virtues in which I am ever a learner that I can encourage the younger generations to bear witness to the example of progress that the honoured personalities offer us here today. The Awards conferred by the Prince of Asturias Foundation are also a call, acting like a driving force to achieve enhanced fellowship between Spain and the Ibero-American nations, a stimulus to achieve objectives of peace and concord in the world, through art and science, represented by those of you who are ready to give the best of yourselves as a contribution to the spiritual goals of our time. In this ceremony, Asturias, to which I feel such firm ties, once again affirms its link to all these countries, its identification with all that affects culture, and its backing of these Awards which, with increasing prestige world-wide, will eultimately benefit this Principality and the whole of Spain. I do not want to forego this opportunity to make mention of a watershed event that has occurred in the life of this Foundation: the stepping down of Pedro Masaveu as President and the appointment of Plácido Arango to this office. “In their lives and work, all of the Laureates invite us to be better in our activities. The ideals of men and societies cannot be limited to impressive conceptual and philosophical declarations.” Watch video