Valencia hosts the State Tribute in memory of the victims of the DANA, with their families as protagonists

Prince Felipe Science Museum, Valencia

Pool Moncloa/Fernando Calvo

This afternoon, Valencia hosted the State Tribute in memory of the victims of the DANA that hit the Valencia Region, Castilla-La Mancha and Andalusia just over a year ago, in an event held at the Príncipe Felipe Science Museum, in the City of Arts and Sciences, which brought together some 800 people, and in which the protagonists were the relatives of those who died in the tragedy.

The ceremony in memory of the victims was presided over by Their Majesties the King and Queen of Spain, who were accompanied by the president of the Government of Spain and by representatives of the different powers of the State and high institutions, such as the presidents of Upper and Lower Houses of Parliament, and the president of the Supreme Court; vice-presidents and ministers of the Government of Spain; the leader of the opposition; presidents of the communities; government delegates of the three autonomous communities affected by the DANA; parliamentary spokespeople in the Upper and Lower Houses of Parliament and of the autonomous parliaments of the three communities; mayors of the municipalities affected, as well as representatives of the social agents.

Pool Moncloa/Fernando Calvo

After a private greeting from the King and Queen and the president of the Government of Spain to representatives of the victims' families, the State Tribute began at 18:00, with the playing of the National Anthem and the reading of the names of the 237 deceased.

The event, hosted by RTVE journalist Lara Siscar, continued with a performance of Mon Vetlatori by María Bertomeu, followed by three relatives of victims of the DANA: Andrea Ferrari Canut, Naiara Chuliá Beitia and Virginia Ortiz Riquelme.

Afterwards, the monarchs made a floral offering, while El Cant dels Ocells was performed, which concluded with a minute's silence by all those present.

The ceremony closed with a speech by King Felipe VI and the Adagio from Joaquín Rodrigo's Concierto de Aranjuez, performed by the Sextet of the Orquesta de RTVE.

Non official translation