The Government delegate in the Canary Islands, Anselmo Pestana, has presided today at the headquarters of the Government Delegation the commemoration of the 45th anniversary of the ratification in referendum of the Spanish Constitution of 1978, in which a minute of silence has been kept in memory of the recently deceased Jerónimo Saavedra, who was minister, president of the Canary Islands and deputy of the Constituent Courts.
Before civil and military authorities in the Throne Room of the Government Delegation in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Anselmo Pestana wanted to send a message of hope, with the desire that the harmony that inspired the 1978 Constitution remains “the main objective of public life”, since the recognition that “we have gone from being an exception in Europe, to an exceptional country within the European Union”.
The delegate of the Government in the Canary Islands stressed that the sum of concessions that is the Constitution of 1978 “inaugurated the 45 years in which Spain, yes, Spain, our country, has reached the highest levels of freedom and prosperity, ceasing to be an exception in Europe, to be a great, wonderful and exceptional European country, advanced in freedoms, with an unusual prosperity – despite having gone through moments of difficulty – and that plays a fundamental role in the great agreements of the Union. And a Spain, and a Europe, which recognizes –in addition– the uniqueness and difficulties of a distant land such as the Canary Islands”.
Accompanied by the subdelegates in Las Palmas and Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Teresa Mayans and Javier Plata, respectively, Anselmo Pestana recalled the many achievements achieved by Spain under the umbrella of the Constitution and has opted to “move forward without fear” that, with the same spirit of consensus of 78, and with the same spirit of concord, the Fundamental Law can be reformed “to adapt it to new realities and approaches, making it even stronger and more advanced”, such as the issues that refer to people with disabilities.
“It is a question of using the word as an instrument of persuasion,” he said, “of seeking reasonable balances between different positions. And to listen, because listening obliges those who speak to do better.”
The government delegate also stressed that the Basic Law expresses “a great agreement” on the foundations of the Spanish democratic system and recalled that “its solvency and presence is the greatest, the best and the only guarantee of our rights and freedoms”, including the principle of equality between women and men.
“We should all be clear that, not respecting the requirements of the Constitution for its representatives for the proper functioning of the State, it wastes the rights and freedoms of all citizens and the Rule of Law itself,” he said.
“Political representatives should be aware that, tempted by their irresponsibility or by their need, they appeal to the Constitution to vilify it, with false approaches that take us back to pre-constitutional periods, generating the rejection of most of the citizens and parties present on the political stage,” he added.
Anselmo Pestana recalled that “the Spanish Constitution also defends the right to feel and express that Spain can be something else. The Spanish Constitution defends the different feelings and national identities that exist in our country.” “
Therefore, identically, in this Constitution, we can all fit together. As a Canary Islands can fit with the peculiarities of its insularity and remoteness, its geographical position and its intimate relationship with Latin America,” said the government delegate in the Canary Islands. This framework of coexistence protects and promotes the development of political and social life towards the achievement of constitutional goals: a fairer, freer society, a society in which all citizens receive equal consideration and respect, a more prosperous society,” he said.
Award of recognition for promoting the spirit of the Constitution
As every year, the Delegation of the Government in the Canary Islands gave a series of recognitions to figures and institutions that daily carry out the spirit of the Constitution, highlighting on this occasion their contributions within the framework of articles 3, 20.1 and 44.2 of the Fundamental Law.
On this occasion, the physicist Emilio Cuevas, belonging to the Corps of State Graduates and the Superior Corps of State Meteorologists, and former director of the Izaña Atmospheric Research Center of the State Meteorology Agency, has been recognized for his contribution to the scientific field and for having demonstrated how, through meteorology, predictive models can be developed that save human lives.
The philologist Dolores Corbella, professor at the University of La Laguna and the first female Canarian scholar at the Royal Academy of the Spanish Language (RAE), has also received recognition for her contribution to the language and show that Spanish is not only a language, but a form of communication rich in nuances.
The third recognition has been received by Pepe Dámaso, multidisciplinary artist, Doctor Honoris Causa for the University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Canary Islands Prize for Fine Arts, who, with his great versatility and talent, has been able to express the idiosyncrasy of the Canarian people, taking them far beyond the Archipelago, with exhibitions in galleries in Europe and the United States.