FUNDACIÓN VÍCTIMAS DEL TERRORISMO 96 - ENGLISH

“This exhibition arises from a profound duty of remembrance, gratitude and justi- ce,” he said. “It looks to the past not to re- main there, but to understand it, pass it on and turn it into a lasting lesson for present and future generations.” López recalled that the attack ended twel- ve lives, destroyed plans for the future and marked dozens of families forever. “Victims are not numbers in a statistic or references on a page of history. They were people with families, friends, aspirations and a commitment to serve Spain,” he sta- ted. “The wound caused by terrorism did not end with the explosion.” Recognition of survivors was one of the most significant aspects of his address. The Foundation’s Vice President recalled that the attack’s history also belongs to those who lived through the explosion and had to rebuild their lives amid physical injuries, post-traumatic stress and indelible memo- ries. “We wish to pay tribute to those who learnt to live with visible and invisible pain,” he said. “Their suffering is an inseparable part of this history and deserves the same recog- nition and respect.” He also defended the exhibition’s educatio- nal purpose, particularly for younger gene- rations who did not experience the years of terrorist violence. “Rememberingmeans educating. It means passing on values. It means explaining that no political, ideological or identity-based cause can ever justify murder, threats or violence,” he stated. TWELVE LIVES THAT REMAIN PRESENT The exhibition restores the identities of the murdered officers. Many had served in the Civil Guard for only a few months. Some were 19 or 20. Others had just begun a new chapter in their professional or family lives. All shared a vocation of service. The exhibition also forms part of initiatives to preserve the memory of one of the most significant attacks in Spain’s recent history. In 2023 , the Ministry of the Interior de- signated 14 July as the Civil Guard’s Day of Remembrance for Victims of Terrorism , specifically in memory of those murdered in Plaza de la República Dominicana. That commitment to remembrance runs through the entire exhibition. Its purpose is to recall what happened forty years ago and to explain to new generations the me- aning of those lives cut short and the coura- ge of those who defended freedom against terrorism. Visitors discover that the wound remains open for many families, but also that re- membrance can become a form of justice. Behind every panel, photograph and docu- ment lies the same conviction: victimsmust continue to occupy a central place in our collective conscience. 12 vidas. Una herida permanente is, ulti- mately, far more than an exhibition. It is a tribute to those murdered, recognition of those who survived and an invitation to society as a whole to keep alive a memory that belongs to everyone. As was recalled at the opening, victimsmust never be destined for oblivion. After its stay at the Civil Guard Orphans’ School, the exhibition opened to the public at the Nicolás Salmerón Cultural Centre. From there, it travelled to the Civil Guard’s 1st Zone Barracks in Madrid and to Elche in October, then to Paracuellos del Jarama and Vitoria, both in November. EDUCATION AND COEXISTENCE 28 EXHIBITION AT THE ORPHANS’ SCHOOL