P
rince
of
A
sturias
A
wards
1981-2014. S
peeches
11
By quoting the symbolic, moving lyricism of this poem, we celebrate that art in one of its most
beautiful forms has united Daniel Barenboim and Edward Said; for we believe, as does our much-
admired Laureate from last year, George Steiner, that music can transform space, density and even
the course of the world. We wish them ongoing success in their ambitions for concord —which we
all share— in a world torn by its past and so wounded by its present.
The Brazilian Football Squad has received the Award for Sports. This Award was established to
extol the benefits of sport for man and to reward those who not only rise to sporting excellence, but
are also exemplary in their moral values. On this occasion it highlights the past merits of Brazil’s
footballers and the social importance that football has in their country.
In Brazil, football is indeed a phenomenon that exceeds the bounds of sport. Capable of expressing
feelings in a unique way, playing football has become part of the Brazilian identity. It is also a passion
that they share. Such characteristics are common to many other
countries yet are particularly marked in Brazil, where football
boosts the self-esteem and dignity of a whole nation, as President
Fernando Henrique Cardoso has pointed out.
If sport channelled in the right directions is always
particularly beneficial and effective, this is even more the case
when it is played in communities suffering high levels of social
alienation and isolation. It makes a major contribution to social
integration and the education of children and youth, who often
find in sport the opportunity to free themselves forever of a
future that is threatened by illness, poverty and social upheaval.
The first stages of the 21st century and the third millennium
of our era have ushered in a fascinating world that is witnessing change at breakneck speed, of
unforeseeable results, plagued by uncertainty and risks. Yet it is also replete with opportunities. We
are witnessing undreamt-of breakthroughs in science, sublime acts of artistic creation and heroic
acts of solidarity that transcends frontiers. Parallel to all this, and clearly global in their dimensions,
poverty, hunger, illness and rampant mass migration all stand out alongside ignorance, fanaticism
and the reign of terror in new, diverse and destructive guises. Mankind faces these problems, and
solving them is one of the great challenges of our times.
And yet, as is always the case, the doors of hope are still open, for history teaches us that
however enormous tragedies, failures and difficulties may be, they have not stopped man
progressing towards a better world. Such a world will inevitably need to be ruled by a global ethics
that respects cultural diversity and unites peoples around sincerely shared, common values that
allow for free, peaceful co-existence.
Throughout this speech, I have used one of the most beautiful words that our language has
coined:
esperanza
(hope). I will invoke the word once again to thank our Laureates for attending
this event. Their lives and work inspire a deep feeling of hope in us. They also symbolise the
yearning for concord, cooperation and solidarity that our Awards encapsulate. This does not only
refer to the Awards that carry these words in their title, but also to the others, for sport, the arts,
scientific research, literature and social sciences are all born of the need to communicate with and
understand our fellow men, to share feelings, experiences and projects. In short, they are activities
born to unite, not to force apart. Great human undertakings have blossomed out of union and
cooperation. Union is not the same as uniformity; it is rather the sum total of variety, the harmony
of different efforts, of contrasting ideas that coexist, blend and mutually enrich.
If a single little boy or a single little girl somewhere in the world, in some forgotten village in
the mountains of some distant country, watches this ceremony and feels the urge to one day be as
generous, as brilliant and as wise as those who honour us by accepting our Awards, then our efforts
and dedication will have acquired meaning. We could then state that this has undoubtedly been a
beautiful evening, an evening replete with hope.
Thank you.
“The first stages of the 21st century and the
third millennium of our era have ushered
in a fascinating world that is witnessing
change at breakneck speed, of unforeseeable
results, plagued by uncertainty and risks.”
