FUNDACIÓN VÍCTIMAS DEL TERRORISMO 93 - ENGLISH

35 "ALONGSIDE THE VICTIMS" In her speech, Councillor Urrutia stres- sed that terrorism constitutes a direct attack on the essential pillars of demo- cratic coexistence and recalled that on 11 March, "Spain suffered the largest, most serious and bloodiest terrorist attack in our history in Madrid, and also the bloo- diest attack in Europe", an event that "forever changed the history and course of Spain and the feelings of the Spanish people," according to a press release from the Government of Cantabria. Urrutia praised the response of Spanish society to terrorist barbarism, recalling that "it reacted united in defence of our democratic values in the face of threat, blackmail and terror," while empha- sising that 11 March has become the "symbol of the fight against terrorism and of unity and resistance throughout Spanish society in the face of terrorist barbarism". During her speech, the councillor em- phasised the central role of victims of te- rrorism, whom she defined as "an ethical reference point for our democratic system, symbolising the defence of freedom and the rule of law in the face of the terrorist threat". In this regard, she stressed the obligation of the public authorities to stand by them and act with determina- tion to eradicate violence and delegitimise terrorism. She concluded her speech with a mes- sage of hope and coexistence, emphasi- sing that the exhibition "seeks to build a collective memory and raise awareness about the defence of freedom in the face of fanaticism". Alongside Councillor Urrutia, María Za- rauz, managing director of the Victims of Terrorism Foundation, spoke, highligh- ting the support and commitment of the Government of Cantabria in hosting an exhibition that has travelled to numerous Spanish towns and cities. For Zarauz, the Foundation "has made the defence of memory one of its raisons d'être, not only because of the importan- ce of each victim, the injustice suffered and the pain of their loss, but also be- cause of the immense doubt we have as a society". With "this exhibition, we want to honour each victim and tell them that they continue to beat in the depths of our hearts," concluded María Zarauz. Among other authorities, the opening ce- remony of the exhibition was also attended by the Mayor of Santander, Gema Igual; the Regional Minister for Social Inclusion of the Government of Cantabria, Begoña Gómez; the President of the High Court of Justice of Cantabria, Jose Luis López del Moral; the Chief Prosecutor of Cantabria, Jesús Dacio Arteaga; the Defence Delega- te in Cantabria, Emiliano Blanco; the re- gional chief commissioner of the National Police, Carlos J. Martínez, and the acting chief of the Civil Guard in Cantabria, Julio Postigo, along with regional deputies, the Director General of Justice and Victims of Terrorism of Cantabria, Juan Sáez, and the Director of the Memorial Centre, Florencio Domínguez. EDUCATION, CULTURE AND COEXISTENCE