FUNDACIÓN VÍCTIMAS DEL TERRORISMO 94 - ENGLISH

36 RODOLFO BENITO SAMANIEGO FOUNDATION ASSOCIATIONS AND FOUNDATIONS A s it has done every year around this time for the past 22 years, the Rodolfo Benito Samaniego Foun- dation held the ceremony to present its Annual Awards on 10 March 2026. This is the most significant event in the Foun- dation’s extensive calendar, during which, in memory of the young engineer from Alcalá who was killed in the attacks of 11 March 2004, tribute is paid to all victims of terrorism. The solemn ceremony took place in a setting equally solemn, namely the Auditorium of the University of Alcalá. The Annual Awards, comprising sev- eral categories, recognise individuals and groups who have made outstand- ing contributions to strengthening the values of coexistence and tolerance in society – values that form part of the Foundation’s mission and vision – as well as young engineers who, like Rodolfo, carry out brilliantMaster’s final-year pro- jects with social applications. THE FOUNDATION PRESENTED ITS 22ND ANNUAL AWARDS A tribute to the victims of terrorism, recognising and rewarding the values of coexistence, tolerance and respect. The event was opened by the host of the venue where it was held, the Universi- ty of Alcalá, represented by Eva Senra, Vice-Rector for Students, Entrepreneur- ship and Employability, who welcomed all attendees on behalf of the institution. MIGUEL DELIBES DE CASTRO, INDIVIDUAL AWARD FOR VALUES OF COEXISTENCE The first award category to be presented was the Valores de Convivencia Individ- ual Award, which went to Miguel De- libes de Castro, a biologist and scientist of recognised standing who has dedicat- ed his life to research and nature conser- vation, particularly of Iberian wildlife. The son of the renowned writer Miguel Delibes, he has built a distinguished academic and scientific career at the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC), where he has spearheaded nu- merous projects on biodiversity and endangered species. He received the award for his commitment to environ- mental awareness and the protection of natural heritage, which have made him an ethical and scientific authority in Spain. In his speech, Delibes noted that those who dedicate their lives to caring for the environment are some- times unfairly criticised for supposed- ly neglecting people. For Delibes, the opposite is true: caring for the natural environment is caring for people. THE CO-OWNERS’ ASSOCIATION, VALORES DE CONVIVENCIA COLLECTIVE AWARD The Valores de Convivencia Collective Award was presented to the Owners’ Association of the former university buildings, founded in 1851 by a group of citizens from Alcalá de Henares and born out of an exemplary commitment to protecting the historical legacy of the former Cisnerian University following its relocation to Madrid in 1836. Faced with the threat of their most emblem- atic buildings disappearing, these res- idents raised 90,000 reales and estab- lished a pioneering society in Spain dedicated exclusively to the conserva- tion of artistic heritage. Thanks to that initiative—the first private-sector effort created to save a monumental com- plex—the university’s founding block was preserved; today it forms part of the University of Alcalá and was de- clared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1998. For 175 years, the Society has been the guardian of the conservation of such symbolic spaces as the Cole- gio Mayor de San Ildefonso, faithful- ly upholding the altruistic spirit of its founders. Its model, based on civic engagement and the intergenerational transmission of cultural commitment, has ensured that this legacy remains alive to this day. The transfer of the uni- versity buildings and its active partici- pation in the cultural life of Alcalá are evidence of a history marked by gener- osity and public service. For all these reasons, the Sociedad de Condueños exemplifies the values of coexistence,