Prince of Asturias Awards 1981–2014. Speeches

P rince of A sturias A wards 1981-2014. S peeches 9 And we have praised them for their spirit of sacrifice, for their exceptional qualities, but also for their human values. Today, we especially recall, with fondness and concern, Severiano Ballesteros, who, as he himself has said, is playing the game for life itself. This is what occurs to us with Rafa Nadal, who amazes us every time he wins, because in each and every victory he displays the humility and simplicity that only the greatest are capable of feeling in such a way. But what amazes us even more is that he never forgets those who suffer, those who fight against pain and illness. Because apart from being a superb tennis player, Rafa Nadal is a great human being, a grateful young man. He never ceases to stress, with the deepest fondness, the fundamental influence that his family —his grandparents, his parents, his uncles and aunts, in particular, his uncle Toni, who is much more than just his coach— have had on his life. They have known how to guide him along the always difficult road to success, encouraging him to walk hand in hand with authenticity, simplicity and greatness of spirit. Rafa has stated that what is important is not to be a good sportsperson, what is important is to be a good person. And he has demonstrated that he is both; since, from his laurel-crowned summit, he is socially-committed and always feels happy with the triumphs of his colleagues in other disciplines, as he recently expressed with joy at the Beijing Olympic Games and at the European Soccer Cup and Basketball championships. His behaviour and feelings are a great example for children and youth, who, as well as enthusiastically following his sporting triumphs, learn from his truly generous sense of fair-play. This may in fact be one of his greatest triumphs, since, from the highest place on the podium, he underlines the most emotive, educational aspects of sport, such as when he says, with legitimate pride, that being Spanish constitutes an extra motivation for him. “To win,” he has stated, “is always much more pleasing when you are playing for your country.” For his serene patriotism, for his fortitude under duress, for his triumphs, for his humility and for his example, Rafa Nadal has forever gained admiration both in Spain and abroad. Today we feel with emotion the immense relief and joy that moved us back in the month of July when we heard the news of the end to the long and tortuous captivity of Ingrid Betancourt. On presenting her today with the Award for Concord, we recognize in her a person who, as the minutes of the conferral of the Award states, “personifies all those people in the world deprived of their freedom for defending human rights and for fighting terrorist violence, corruption and drug trafficking.” Thousands of people who, in whatever corner of the planet, live with their backs turned to the inexcusable good of being free and whom we remember today as we join in Ingrid Betancourt’s prayers that hope should never abandon them. Ingrid Betancourt, who has been subjected to extremely harsh trials, suddenly faced with vulnerability, humiliation and physical and mental pain, now fights to definitively leave behind those years of suffering and fear, and tells us that the answer to vengeance is compassion; that one may respond to wrong with right, that hope and love of life manage to overcome the most fearsome barriers of cruelty and hate. As the beautiful verses of Salvador Espríu go: Men cannot ever be unless they are free, It is so: we human beings cannot live without freedom. We survive without it, but we do not live life to the full. This is the most profound lesson that we can extract from Ingrid Betancourt’s experience. And those of us who have the fortune to be able to denounce such unjust, such harsh situations have the duty to defend dignity, happiness and the welfare of free human beings. For all this, we recognize here this evening her heroic resistance, her victory, the exquisite absence of spite in her heart, the greatness of her spirit.