Prince of Asturias Awards 1981–2014. Speeches

5 P rince of A sturias A wards 1981-2014. S peeches Speech XIII The thrill and happiness of meeting up again with my homeland and my loved ones and returning to Asturias gathers a special intensity for me in this ceremony in which Spain pays tribute to hope, sacrifice, spiritual creation and concord: to the primacy of moral and cultural values. Today is the culmination of a year of careful attention to the flow of the swift, profound changes that have been produced in the world and to the thrilling movement of intellectual and artistic creation. Our Awards thrive on the most exemplary of this lifeblood. The hundreds of candidatures, which arrive from all parts of the world, are the response to that spirit and those circumstances. Later, the magnificent Juries hand over to us the fruit of their free and fair endeavour. I am deeply grateful to them. This gratitude I would like to extend to the individuals and institutions from which the Foundation receives permanent displays of collaboration and generosity, as well as to those who are spontaneously sending contributions, donations and legacies to its patrimony. We have much faith and hope placed in the work of the Foundation. Therefore, when we look expectantly to the future, we remember the illuminating verses by Pedro Salinas: Do not reject dreams just because they are dreams, Every dream can be a reality, if the dream does not end. Ramón Pérez de Ayala, that great writer born in this city, exhorted men never to forget to rise up to the highest summits of the soul, because it was from there that the most beautiful and unknown horizons could be seen. We all know that it is very rare for one to ascend to the highest summits alone, whether it be earthly summits or those of the soul. We always need the help of a guide or a companion to help us in these lovely adventures. The magazine Vuelta , Prince of Asturias Award for Communication and Humanities, founded and managed by Nobel Prize-winner Octavio Paz, is today an exceptional guide for the highest flights of culture in the Spanish language. Vuelta is above all the most genuine expression of the thoughts and desires of its founder, a plural writer who, born in Mexico, is patrimony of us all. Vuelta is a symbol of the defence of the freedom, richness and unity of the arts in the Spanish language, and a solid, independent and incorruptible voice against all types of oppression. The brightest lights of our times illuminate its pages and, without its presence, something encouraging and profound would be missing in our cultural field. The at times forgotten vocation of the University as the home of teaching at its highest level, of basic research, of theoretical reflection, of aesthetic creation and ethical contribution must be revitalised. A creative University which also faces up to the real problems in society, one which lies close to its most immediate needs and which is capable of rising up to and foreseeing the challenges of our times. This idea of the University was demanded time and time again by Severo Ochoa, an upstanding and unforgettable Asturian, who contributed so much to the development of science in our country and to whom the Foundation, to which he gave such prestige through his loyal devotion, owes so much. His exemplary life and his scientific teaching have left behind a path of stimulus and hope for Spain’s youth. “We all know that it is very rare for one to ascend to the highest summits alone, whether it be earthly summits or those of the soul. We always need the help of a guide or a companion to help us in these lovely adventures.” Watch video