7
P
rince
of
A
sturias
A
wards
1981-2014. S
peeches
Speech XXV
I return full of hope and joy in this year when we celebrate the 25th Anniversary of our Awards
—with all the splendour that we would so earnestly desire for it— to this much-loved land of
Asturias of which as Spaniards we might say, recalling the words of a great poet, that “much of
what we possess is rooted here.”
Before I continue, I would like to pass on the kindest regards of the Princess of Asturias, who,
as you know, has been unable to accompany us at this event, but who is nevertheless with us in her
heart and in her thoughts.
Twenty-five years have passed since that unforgettable
ceremony when we first presented our Awards. Since then,
there has been not been a single day for inaction, not a single
moment for discouragement. We have progressed along the
road to a point hardly imaginable back in those beginnings so
replete with hope.
We wish to continue this work with the tenacity, enthusiasm
and painstakingness that have always guided us, for our initial
hopes remain intact, and our dreams have never ceased to be
—in the words of a beautiful poem by Cernuda— loftier than the clouds. In this uncertain and
extraordinarily complex dawn of the 21st century, we are aware that the life of any organization
depends more than ever on its ability to forestall events imaginatively without losing sight of its
roots and founding values.
I thank all those who have brought about this splendid situation, those who had faith in this
project, those who today see the returns on their faith and trust, those who overcame weariness,
disheartenment, all those taxing days, and whose dedication, effort and intelligence have yielded
such exceptional fruits.
On the road towards the future, we know we are not alone, for we can now proudly say that
we have the backing and the encouragement of the vast majority of Spaniards, and in particular of
the Government of Spain and of Asturias, of this city council, of the Trustees of the Foundation, of
the Juries for the Awards, of our Patrons, and of an ever-burgeoning number of other public and
private institutions and organizations, who join with us in our efforts to increase the stature of this
great work of all Spaniards in the eyes of the world.
We thank unesco for their declaration acknowledging the extraordinary contribution of our
Awards to mankind’s cultural heritage and for its decision to lend its support to events celebrating
our 25th Anniversary.
We would also proclaim our special gratitude to the media, who are making an extraordinary
contribution to having the Awards become acknowledged —as is our aspiration—, for striving to
contribute to concord between nations, for fostering cultural production at the highest echelons
and of the most noble values, for being a permanent beacon of hope, a light that bathes darkness
and despondency, a voice that reminds us of these old yet timeless verses:
Rather than think you were born for yourself
Think you were born for the world.
Once again, this year our Awards have been conferred upon people and institutions who carry
out their exemplary work inspired by these principles. We send out our warmest welcome to all of
them, to the families and friends who accompany them and to the distinguished delegations who
have decided to share these unforgettable hours with us today. We thank them for being here in
“Our dreams have never ceased to be
—in the words of a beautiful poem by
Cernuda— loftier than the clouds.”
