FUNDACIÓN VÍCTIMAS DEL TERRORISMO 94 - ENGLISH

45 All the videos and images from the 26th In Memoriam can be viewed on the website www.fundacionfernandobuesa.com FLORAL TRIBUTE The following day, 22 February, a wreath-laying ceremony took place in the Jardines de la Libertad in Vitoria-Gasteiz, next to the memorial erected on the site of the attack. The Buesa-Rodríguez andDíez-Elorza families paid an emotional tribute to Jorge and Fernando, and they were joined by numerous victims of terrorism. As in previous years, the event was attended by numerous members of the PSE-EE and the Ertzaintza, as well as representatives of the Civil Guard, the National Police and the Army, alongside public officials fromall political parties in the Basque parliamen- tary spectrum, together with authorities from the SpanishGovernment, the Basque Government, the Basque Parliament, the Provincial Council of Álava, the General Assembly of Álava and Vitoria-Gasteiz City Council. Sara, for her part, reminded us how Ruíz-Huerta, in his book, points out that democracy is always on trial and that it is necessary to actively deepen democratic principles. This deepening of democracy, which Sara and Alejan- dro undertake every day, is based, as we have already noted, on two key ele- ments: compassion and memory Compassion is not a saccharine, ‘soft’ con- cept; on the contrary, it demands great personal courage. It is not a pitying or sympathetic gaze, but rather requires an active commitment to taking on anoth- er’s pain. Compassion is revolutionary because it breaks with the logic of vio- lence and draws its strength fromdemo- cratic values. But in addition to a compas- sionate gaze, wemust incorporate the idea of memory—a democratic and inclusive memory. Memory is essential, because, in the words of Ruiz-Huerta, memory shapes our very identity. A democratic memory must be shared, collective, be- cause the victims belong to us all.Wemust move beyond the victims-ideology dichot- omy, becauseworking towards a collective memory is an ethical obligation.Memory, like democracy, must be renewed day by day; we must keep “memory on edge”, or in the words of Yago Mellado, “memory on the prowl”. This fruitful dialogue concluded with a reference to Juan Genovés’s iconic painting, The Embrace. The embrace as a powerful symbol of commitment, as a sign of brotherhood. The artistic touch to the In Memori- am was provided by Noralai - Dance School with a beautiful choreography that sought to encapsulate everything addressed during the In Memoriam ceremony, entitled: Sharing values, let us bridge the divides . “Non-violence” is more than just saying no to vi- olence; it demands great courage and personal effort to overcome aggres- sive feelings ASSOCIATIONS AND FOUNDATIONS