Speech by President of the Government, Pedro Sánchez, at Palace of Regional Government of Valencia on occasion of Region of Valencia Day

2018.10.9

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Valencia

Bon día. A very good day to you all.

President of the Regional Government of Valencia, Ximo; Speaker of the Regional Parliament of Valencia, regional councillors, members of the Regional Government of Valencia, members of the Board of the Regional Parliament of Valencia, Minister for Public Works, government delegate, public officials, dear friends, I can also see here mayors from throughout the region, ladies and gentlemen,

Regional President Puig said in his speech that it is the first time that a President of the Government of Spain has attended the Great Day of the Region of Valencia.

This is my first "nou d'octubre" as the President of the Government and I considered it a duty, an obligation, to be here with all of you. A duty and an honour for me to take part in an event, as we have also seen, full of meaningful words from those who have spoken before me, of history and memory but, above all, about the present and the future. I believe that the speech by Regional President Puig has been full of meaning, above all, when talking about the present and the future. About a vital present embodied by those men and women that receive the recognition of their land for their work in many fields, such as culture, sport, science, equality, in short, the solidarity lived and breathed by Valencian society.

A vital present and a future full of opportunities with this social contract proposed by Regional President Puig for this entire land. A dynamic, entrepreneurial and fraternal land, as we have also seen in some of the prizes that have been awarded today.

A land that has made self-rule an accelerator, an historic catalyst to claim an identity that is not defined by that which opposes, as so often happens in Spanish politics; we will define ourselves by what we oppose, and hence not by what we are, which is plentiful and very diverse, in terms of what we can build and contribute.

Today, Castelló, Valencia, Alacant, represent a lot more than the sum of three Spanish provinces. They represent, through their Mediterranean vocation, the commitment of a land that looks at the future with pride. Proud of its symbols, its language, its culture, as we have been shown here today.

And also with a clear pro-European vocation. On some occasions, we forget in political speeches to endorse Europe, something we must do. We must endorse Europe. We must endorse our clear pro-European vocation that pulses through the development of many of the policies implemented and of course in such infrastructures as the Mediterranean Corridor which will undoubtedly be essential for conquering the future in this land, and throughout the country.

Infrastructures on which the Government of Spain and the Regional Government of Valencia work hand-in-hand to develop a strategic pillar, not only in the Levant, which is fundamental for the development of this land, but also for the country as a whole.

This is the best version of Spain, which is worth fighting for, which is worth committing to, built through dialogue and a joining of wills. A Spain that places co-existence ahead of regional grievances; which is found and acknowledged in opportunities for consensus rather than in those who seek excuses for confrontation and opposition. Spain that is aware of a diversity that makes us unique in the world. We are truly unique. And, at the same time, a Spain that embraces the great causes that are worthwhile continuing to fight for at this time. Causes such as Europe, causes such as feminism - reference was made to this here - dear Carmen, causes such as ecologism.

I feel it is very important, above all after having heard yesterday the report by the panel of United Nations scientists, to endorse the clear commitment from all institutions - from the smallest of towns and villages to the Government of Spain, and also including the European Union in this clear vocation - to fight climate change and to leave the generations to come, those who have not yet been born, with an inhabitable planet, a planet they can enjoy, as we are enjoying ourselves in this land here today.

Ecologism, Europeanism, feminism, fraternity which unite, in my opinion, the vast majority of Valencian society, Spanish society and European society. And which today has, in relation to the award-winners, an example that the Region of Valencia wishes to convey to the whole world about itself.

As regards the first of these ideas - Europeanism - I believe that we can count on the Region of Valencia, and also on all of Spain to defend the foundations, the principles and the values behind the creation of the European Union some decades ago. Regional President Puig mentioned this earlier, and I want to restate this now, because I feel it is very important. We should never stop stressing this: in public debate, not only in Spain but also in Europe and even further afield - you only have to look at and turn the pages of the main international press to see which photo is at the centre of global public debate, particularly in Europe - the discourse of hate, exclusion, egoism is present, now more than ever, and I feel it is very important to endorse something that has been said here by some of the speakers, and also in the different prizes awarded; which is the value of democracy. The validity of the European project and of its principles and values. And, of course, the strength of cohesion as a catalyst for progress and the general prosperity of Valencian society, and Spanish society as a whole.

It is now, at this time of difficulty and doubts, dear friends, when it is more necessary than ever, Mr Regional President, to be committed to this project, to the European project. And Spain's commitment to Europe is a firm and sincere commitment. It really is; both firm and sincere. Through its values and principles, but also through numbers. I believe that it is also important to stress that the Government of Spain is going to present public accounts with a strong European vocation, in terms of what this country most needs - stability. Stability to meet its fiscal consolidation commitments, and also its cohesion commitments, territorial cohesion with these infrastructures needed in regions like Valencia. And social cohesion, by re-building the Welfare State.

And of course job creation as well, because that is the main obligation, the principal aim, all public institutions share with regard to the challenge that is still very present in the daily reality of a great many men and women of Valencia, of a great many men and women of Spain.

Spanish society, dear friends, and you are well aware of this, knows that we need a common perspective through the European Union to face up to these challenges. Climate change is one of these, as is migration. There are so many things that need the protection and backing of the European Union.

And because we are aware what the European project has represented in terms of strengthening our democracy and our institutions. We know this because we have spoken with our grandparents and with our parents; the European Union has always been seen by Spanish and Valencian society as this cornerstone on which to enhance democracy, to enhance social progress and to enhance the prosperity of all.

The awards presented today bear the name of a humanist born in this land - Luis Vives - who embodied the best of the European spirit in very tough times, in very complex times of intolerance and persecution.

From his work, dear regional president, "Treaty of poor relief", we can take away lessons that are as valuable today as they were five centuries ago. Luis Vives said in that work that it was the duty of governors, of each and every public official, and I quote this verbatim, "to put every effort into helping one another". (We will incorporate Carmen's licence, and also those of the others). Luis Vives said, "No-one should be subject to injustice", and "the most powerful should help the weak so that concord can flourish among citizens and remain forever".

I believe that in these turbulent times, dear friends, I would like to share with all of you the meaning of the word "concord". I believe that concord is a very present claim in the world in which we live. It is difficult to define in a few words the value of concord and the value of social cohesion, as an asset that is worth fighting for.

The echo of this idea resounds - as the regional president and vice-president said earlier - in the work of each and every one of the people, the 2,230 men and women, who on 17 June formed part of the operation to take in the vessels Aquarius, Dattilo and Orione. Police, Guardia Civil, the Red Cross, sworn translators and interpreters, personnel from the Regional Department of Health, and the Border Health Service, among many others that took part in an exemplary humanitarian deployment that not only filled Valencian society with pride, but the whole of Spanish society.

An operation through which the city of Valencia, this community, and all of Spain, sent out a message regarding human dignity; and a call for attention of a global nature as to what is unfolding - because unfortunately, we have to talk about this in the present continuous - on the shores of the Mediterranean. We are facing a challenge that must be tackled with a European perspective. That was another of the messages that the Government of Spain wanted to convey to the EU Member States, thus banishing the messages of hatred and intolerance that are unfortunately so prevalent in European public debate at this time.

To those who see themselves as the champions of politically incorrectness, to extend this message, we should remind them that the vast majority of Spanish society, and Valencian society, does not share this discourse. You do not share it. And you will not be dragged down by those who feed off of the rhetoric of fear and uncertainty instead of hope.

The third of the great causes I want to refer to, in addition, of course, to fraternity and Europe, is feminism. Today, two women received awards from the Regional Government of Valencia for their long awaited election, as Carmen mentioned earlier, after almost 600 years - it sounds easy to say, 600 years - as rectors of the Universities of Valencia and of Jaume I. They both took office this same year, barely two months apart, and their appointment is excellent news.

And it is incumbent on all of us to build a world which is neither extraordinary, nor newsworthy, but which continues to shatter such "glass ceilings" as this one. And I believe you are an inspirational example in this.

At our universities, in politics, in business and in so many facets of life, including sport - this has been reaffirmed here - a battle is being waged that does not necessarily start from scratch. I like what Regional President Puig said, when he drew a parallel between today and 8 March. Because it is true that many things started to change in Spain as from that day, and it is only right to say that.

Each border we cross, each hurdle of discrimination we overcome owes a great deal to those who fought this first battle. Today, you honour one of those pioneers in the figure of Carmen Alborch.

Carmen crossed many of these boundaries before anyone else - this has been said here, and rightly so. She opened up a path through hostile land, defined as "a land of men". She did this, she is doing this, with a perennial smile, her personal creed, dear Carmen, and a challenging attitude to fight injustice and inequality until her last breath.

Thank you Carmen for having held aloft for so many years the standard of equality between men and women. And indeed, for endorsing the fight of women, which a great many men are humbly accompanying. Your example represents the very best of what has happened to a Spain that was much more dismal before many women like you took a step forward to claim that your time had come, which is our time, to say that this will be the time, the century, of women.

Regional president, we are under an obligation to continue making progress within the framework of everything good we achieved thanks to our State of Autonomies. Through dialogue and in a search for consensus as our maxims to attend to what citizens most call for from politics, which is no more and no less than real solutions to their daily problems.

That is how we have to address the lack of infrastructures this region suffers from. That is how we will also have to address the just claim for greater regional financing for this region, and in the year in which we commemorate the 40th anniversary of our Constitution, I believe that this assertion is more necessary than ever. And I also believe that in the speech you just gave, that reasserting the validity on the 40th anniversary of our Constitution is more opportune than ever, because if the Spanish Constitution showed anything 40 years ago it was that we had learned a great historic lesson - there cannot be democracy in our country if regional diversity is not acknowledged in the form of a State of Autonomies. And this regionally recognised diversity cannot exist without democracy in our country.

That is why progress precisely means continuing to strengthen these regional ties and regressing precisely means returning to the past in which, unfortunately, re-centralisation was called for as a driver of progress in our country.

We have overcome, dear friends, great difficulties by standing united in adversity, without placing party interests ahead of State interests, so let's do everything possible to ensure this same spirit presides over the future of the Region of Valencia and of all of Spain. Always in the hands of a society that has moved ahead of politics, let's face it, in recent times. And today, in this region, you have an example to follow in each and every one of the award-winners who receive this worthy tribute from their land. A society that has a decade ahead to win, after suffering from a lost decade. And not from sterile confrontation and stalemates, but from spaces of concord, co-existence, a position in which the vast majority of Valencian society and Spanish society find themselves.

Thank you very much.

(Transcript edited by the State Secretariat for Communication)

Non official translation