Prince of Asturias Awards 1981–2014. Speeches

7 P rince of A sturias A wards 1981-2014. S peeches Speech XVI Once again, with renewed emotion and hope, I return to this Principality of Asturias and to this beautiful capital full of common history in order to preside over the presentation ceremony of the Awards which bear my name. From this land which feels it so profoundly, Spain pays tribute to figures who, through their work and sacrifice, dignify the human community, enrich its thinking, thus making it freer and urging it on towards new and promising paths. For the Awards take on meaning when they serve as a stimulus and example to all, underlining the effort and dedication of those who deserve and receive them. And it is to this task that this year’s Laureates have dedicated their lives; to working continuously and without faltering, which makes them men who ceaselessly seek out the common good. Thanks to their presence among us —which has allowed us to listen here today to words which are unforgettable because of their sensitivity—, we are experiencing a joyous day which confirms our resolute faith in human beings and their adventure. I wish to place on record my gratitude to those members of the various Juries on whom it has fallen the arduous task of examining the many and highly outstanding candidatures which were submitted and of granting our Awards. I know that this has not been an easy undertaking, because it never is to choose the eminent from out of the best. Only their steadfastness in maintaining sound, independent judgement and their rigorous sense of duty have allowed them to carry out their task, in perfect harmony with the lofty purposes of the Foundation. My gratitude increases, if that is possible, when I realize that none of this would be possible without the generosity of the Foundation’s Trustees and Patrons. Among these, I wish to recall with special affection Plácido Arango, who so eagerly, generously and efficiently presided over it for eight years, following the path started along by his predecessor, the unforgettable Pedro Masaveu. Following on from them, the present presidency, entrusted to José Ramón Álvarez Rendueles, is a solid guarantee of continuity. Loyal to its principals, the Foundation, with the help of its Trustees and Patrons, the work of its Juries, the efficiency of its staff, who are always there, even if they are not in the limelight, and the prestige of its Laureates, keeps its sights set on a future full of hopes; hopes which evoke those of Don Quixote when he set out at dawn, full of joy, towards the boundless horizons of Spain. Before moving on to talk about each one of the Laureates and in light of late-breaking news, allow me to express my deep sorrow for the death of three Spanish missionaries in the Great Lakes region of Africa who have lost their lives carrying out an exemplary, extremely worthwhile humanitarian endeavour. It is our hope and fervent desire that the international community will rapidly take the measures needed to alleviate this tragedy that has greatly affected us all and which so severely wounds basic human rights and dignity. The Prince of Asturias Award for Communication and Humanities has been granted to two exceptional personalities, Indro Montanelli and Julián Marías, who, with wonderful lucidity, make the Biblical command shine: “Do your duty, pay heed to it, grow old in your task.” Both of them are exemplary representatives of the best virtues of journalistic and humanistic communication: the love of truth, the tenacious effort to shun routine and superficiality, the urge for independence, and all of this even at the cost of many sacrifices and much lack of understanding. “From this land which feels it so profoundly, Spain pays tribute to figures who, through their work and sacrifice, dignify the human community.” Watch video