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.”
