Speech by the President of the Government of Spain at the 'Vanguardia 2026 Awards' Ceremony

SPEECH BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE GOVERNMENT OF SPAIN, PEDRO SÁNCHEZ

Good evening. First of all, I would like to extend my greetings to the president of the Government of Catalonia; to Minister Jordi Hereu; to the Mayor of Barcelona; to the editor of La Vanguardia; to the Chief Executive of Grupo Godó; and also to the editor-in-chief and the entire staff of La Vanguardia; to the award winners, the dignitaries, ladies and gentlemen.

Tonight - as has been said here - we have heard stories of talent, hard work and dedication, stories gathered here and recognised by a newspaper that has been chronicling and bearing witness to the history of Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain, Europe and the world for 145 years.

When someone leaves a mark on their times, sooner or later, they also leave a mark on the pages of La Vanguardia. One hundred and forty-five years, as we have seen in the video, are enough to fill many pages. Pages that have chronicled wars - which, sadly, they continue to do - as well as transitions and extraordinary political, social, cultural and technological changes; pages that remind us of journalism's primary responsibility: to seek the truth and remain faithful to it.

This is no easy task in times like these, when a sensationalist or outright false headline can reach a far wider audience than a piece written with rigour and based on evidence. La Vanguardia, however, has not let itself be swept away by that current - a fact that deserves recognition. It has remained true to the essence of journalism and, in doing so, it not only upholds the dignity of a profession so vital to democracy but also helps to strengthen our society. So, thank you for remaining true to that commitment, dear Javier; thank you to you and the whole La Vanguardia family who make possible that small yet great daily miracle: producing a newspaper as extraordinary as yours.

Today, even in countries that are the cradle of freedom of expression - as we have also seen in the video - press rooms are being shut down and prestigious publications are being banned for asking uncomfortable questions or refusing to spread lies. The damage to press freedom, one of the essential freedoms of democracy, is therefore immense. And silence cannot be an option, because it would make us complicit. Freedom, as has been said from this rostrum, is not merely proclaimed. It must be protected every day, and a free press is vital to ensure that the world does not regress to the past.

This regression is also evident in many other areas. Last week, I spoke before the United Nations General Assembly - as the Prime Minister of Greenland has done here - in favour of an international order in which force does not take the place of law; in which no country believes it can prosper by destroying its neighbour, and in which lies, hatred and division do not prevail over the truth, empathy and cooperation to which all human beings are entitled.

That is why I believe today's tribute to a young Prime Minister of Greenland is so timely, because when the sovereignty and independence of his territory are called into question, we are all Greenland.

In an interdependent world, as he has said, geographical distance does not matter.

In a globalised world, the consequences of wars and geopolitical tensions - which we are also seeing in the cost of living, in inflation

as a result of the illegal war in Iran - sooner or later reach our lives and, in particular, affect those with fewer resources, and the working middle class, of course, as well. The price of electricity, petrol at the pump, a family's weekly shop… and therefore, it is our duty to take action.

And that is why tomorrow we will present to the Council of Ministers a new package of measures to support the sectors most exposed and the families most vulnerable to rising prices, caused in particular by the war in Iran. An illegal, unjust and utterly unjustified war - and I shall never tire, nor shall we ever tire - I believe, both in Spain and in Catalonia and Barcelona - of repeating that our country has said 'no' with all its might.

And there, as I said before, the president of the Generalitat also demonstrates true patriotism: by remaining faithful to our values and, consequently, protecting your country when times are tough. Looking after its workers, as well as its businesses, its families, its industries and its elderly.

And patriotism also means preventing an 87-year-old woman, who has been paying her rent faithfully for 70 years in the same flat, in the same neighbourhood, from ending up on the streets after a lifetime in that home.

We all need to do our bit. The State, the Government of Spain, of course; but also the regional governments and municipal councils, which have specific responsibilities in this area.

The Government of Spain will act responsibly and, for that reason, as I announced last Sunday, we will submit a Royal Decree-law to the Council of Ministers setting out urgent measures to alleviate the housing crisis affecting so many people in Spain.

We have made great efforts to bring this about, through dialogue and negotiation, whilst incorporating proposals and initiatives from all the political groups that have seen fit to join us in this endeavour.

And now I call on all parliamentary groups to make that final effort to get this through the Lower House of Parliament, with a broad perspective, a sense of statesmanship and a sense of responsibility, because behind every measure lies something far more important than any political calculation, however legitimate it may be: there are people, there are homes and there are lives. And protecting them is quite simply not an ideological issue, but a matter of humanity.

Ladies and gentlemen, today we honour exemplary lives and careers. We have recognised Caterina Biscari; Eloi Planes; Noah Higón, whom I had the pleasure of meeting a few months ago at Moncloa Palace; Martin Harper and BirdLife International. Of course, even in a world facing challenges such as these, we will always have the power of music. Montserrat, thank you for keeping the memory of your mother alive - a voice that will forever resonate in the hearts of Catalonia, Barcelona and Spain. We also celebrate the music, naturally, of the great Joan Manuel Serrat and, of course, Amaia. What can one say about the 'Pop Magician', the only artist we forgive for deceiving us, because he does so with our permission. And I mustn't forget, of course, Isidre Fainé: throughout his life, I believe he has demonstrated - and has done so from this very platform - that the economy and social commitment are by no means at odds with one another. That the success of an institution is also measured by what it gives back to society, as he himself has said. You share this vision with Catalan and Spanish society as a whole, and I am honoured to always be able to count on your counsel and your friendship.

Congratulations, therefore, to all the award winners; you embody diverse values in very different fields, but ultimately, you are all united by something that drives us forward as a society, namely the values of excellence and commitment. I believe that this is the truth that should guide us as a society in Catalonia and Spain.

That's all. Thank you very much and good night.

(Transcript edited by the State Secretariat for Communication)