FUNDACIÓN VÍCTIMAS DEL TERRORISMO 93 - ENGLISH

45 T he Foundation has presented the IX Alberto Jiménez-Becerril Journalism Award to the writer and journalist Alfonso J. Ussía, during a ceremony held on Monday, 10 November, in the Colón Hall of Seville City Council. The ceremony, presided over by the May- or of Seville and Honorary President of the Foundation, José Luis Sanz, and the President of the organisation, Alberto Jiménez-Becerril, was attended by a large audience, including the President of the Andalusian Parliament, Jesús Aguirre, members of the municipal corporation, civil and military authorities, and victims of terrorism. Jiménez-Becerril himself was responsi- ble for delivering the opening remarks to the award winner, recognising his work to keep alive the memory, dignity and justice of the victims of terrorism both in literature and journalism: "You have maintained the same consistent line: the ALFONSO J. USSÍA RECEIVES THE 9TH ALBERTO JIMÉNEZ-BECERRIL JOURNALISM AWARD defence of democratic values, the con- demnation of violence and the defence of freedom. In a profession where, at times, the best option is to remain silent, you have chosen honest words, commit- ted words, words that cannot be bought and words that cannot be hidden," said the president of the Foundation as he addressed the award winner, concluding that his work is a "message of hope so that the memory of the victims remains alive." Subsequently, a video reviewing the award winner's career was shown and the min- utes of the Jiménez-Becerril Foundation Board of Trustees were read, recognis- ing the selection of this 9th Journalism Award. Alfonso J. Ussía received the award from José Luis Sanz and Alberto Jiménez-Becerril, whom he thanked for the recognition. The writer and journalist's speech re- ferred to Spain's freedom, which, unfor- tunately, "has been written with shots to the back of the head," and therefore the memory of the victims must remain alive. "To put an end to ETA, we had to give up nothing, least of all our history," he said. Ussía continued his speech by stating that "reclaiming memory is an act of radical tenderness. It is not done to re- live the pain, but to give meaning to the pain. Reclaiming memory is lifting sto- len names from the dust," adding that "history is not healed by forgetting, it is healed by truth. And truth is not nego- tiated, it is sought, it is named, it is de- fended, even if it hurts." To conclude his speech, the award win- ner had some special words for the mem- ory of Alberto Jiménez-Becerril and Ascensión García, as well as dedicating the award he received to young people, so that they "decide whether to remain silent or to speak out." The event closed with a speech by the Mayor of Seville, José Luis Sanz, who praised Alfonso J. Ussía's career and also referred to the memory of Alberto and Ascen, pointing out that "forgetting would be the greatest contempt we could show to the victims and their families". ASSOCIATIONS AND FOUNDATIONS