Prince of Asturias Awards 1981–2014. Speeches

P rince of A sturias A wards 1981-2014. S peeches 11 institutions to serve citizens, to bolster their vitality and confidence, while at all times caring for the general good and staying the course toward their welfare. Facing adversity also requires a commitment on all parts, a spirit of shared endeavour. We know that pessimism, resignation or despair do not bring us closer to the solution, and I know it is not easy for many to keep their spirits high. Even so, we still need to promote and encourage a social awareness that values all that we have that is positive, that recognizes our capabilities and strengths, enhances our self-esteem and helps us to project an image of our country that will ultimately nurture the hopes of all citizens. The current economic crisis also requires a rigorous reflection as to how the collective spirit can also recover values that have, in recent times, gone astray, but which have never been definitively lost. We have been witness here today to the examples of generosity, integrity, effort and excellence embodied by our Laureates. These are values that dignify people and their works. They are permanent values for our society, because as our 2008 Prince of Asturias Laureate Tzvetan Todorov states, “Ethics is the best instrument with which to protect the wealth of nations, their creativity, their peculiarities and their social capital.” Ladies and Gentlemen, Although our primary concern is the economic crisis and how to overcome it, we should cease to think also about the Spain we aspire to in this 21st century. For years now, we have been experiencing profound changes affecting our lifestyle, our economy, and even the political evolution of Europe. We live in a society that speeds up the time and shortens distances, which makes transformation and changes the general rule, the norm, and that is leading to a new, more complex scenario for one and all. And we must assume that all this requires a new mindset and new attitudes, new individual and group behaviour. It requires that we look up and broaden our horizons toward the future with an open mind, with courage and ambition to move forward and remain at the fore, ever cultivating, as our Laureate Martha Nussbaum puts it, the capacity for reflection and critical thought. Right now, we Spaniards face new common goals on which to work together, focusing all our energy so as to take Spain along the path of the 21st century. A century that, more than ever, will be one of knowledge, science and new technologies; one of innovation, communication and creativity; while also the century of a renewed humanism. These goals entail great challenges in an international context in which we must be aware that, in response to relentless interdependence, the world is increasingly moving towards greater political and economic integration. We shall need more global responses to problems that have long been such. This implies facing enormous challenges that can only be overcome and turned to our advantage if all Spaniards collaborate and pull in the same direction. We are all well aware of the value of living in harmony in this endeavour. Since 1978, millions of Spaniards have been educated in freedom and democracy. We have learned to express our views and listen and evaluate ideas different from our own. We have also learned to resolve our discrepancies within the framework of the rule of law, something which has required so many sacrifices to achieve. Throughout these years of democracy, together we have accumulated an extraordinary legacy of freedom, respect and civility, as never before in our history. A legacy that we must cherish, protect and —as in any human endeavour— foster and enhance. We must thus continue building our future step by step, with one foot planted firmly in the present and determined to overcome discrepancies, preserving sentiments and upholding the feelings we share, forged through our prolonged, shared history. A future based on mutual respect and trust among all Spaniards; one we can work toward in harmonious coexistence, each with their own personality and with the constructive spirit of a common undertaking. “As heir to the Throne, I perform my duties with enthusiasm, pride and full confidence in our future.”