The delegate of the Government of Spain in Cantabria, Eugenia Gómez de Diego, claimed this Monday during her speech at the Day of Institutions the "ethics of care" as the basis of democracy and public institutions, and called for solidarity in the face of "barbarism" and the rise of hate and exclusion speeches.
During his speech at Puente San Miguel, Gómez de Diego reflected on the origin of civilization from a well-known anecdote by the anthropologist Margaret Mead, who identified as the first sign of civilization a healed femur, a symbol that someone cared for another in a situation of vulnerability.
Based on this image, he has articulated a discourse in defense of institutions focused on caring for people, offering opportunities to those who start from a disadvantaged situation, and promoting cooperation against violence.
In this line, he has defended "a strong welfare state", which "must provide us with opportunities for those who, at birth, the first great lottery of our life, have a bad number, can improve that unequal starting position and develop as a person".
Thus, he stressed that institutions must be guarantees of protection and social justice and pointed out that, despite the rise of reactionary movements, "the enlightened and democratic ideal remains".
"Institutions are a common heritage that we have a duty to take care of and we must all feel challenged in this responsibility," he said.
"The homeland is built with facts"
Following this same thread, Gómez de Diego reflected that "the opposite of civilization is barbarism" and condemned the racist events that occurred in Torre Pacheco, defending the coexistence and contribution of the migrant population to the economic development of the country.
In this context, it has addressed the reception of unaccompanied migrant minors, defending the capacity of Cantabria to respond to this challenge from the point of view of solidarity. “Three years ago we hosted more than 1,500 Ukrainian people in a humanitarian emergency. That is why I know that we can welcome 156 minors," he said, appealing to the Executive to live up to "the solidarity of the Cantabrian people."
He also insisted that "the homeland is not worn on the wristband or in the wallet, it is built with facts", and he denounced that "the greatest crisis is not the migratory crisis, but the moral crisis that those who only see a monochrome and exclusive world want to impose on us".
Break the stigma of suicide
Throughout her speech, the delegate has also addressed suicide, a problem that has "removed it from within" and that she has described as a "slap in the face". In this regard, he has asked to break the stigma that surrounds him and has stressed that "talking about suicide is preventive" and that its visibility is key to saving lives.
She also pointed out that, as a delegate of the Government, she has always tried to be close to "all the victims", "to accompany from a deep respect": "Some, of the terror of the State with the name of Francoism; others, victims of the terrorism of the unreason, particularly of ETA".
Vocation of service
In terms of balance, Gómez de Diego highlighted that Cantabria currently has the largest historical number of National Police and Civil Guard troops, the result, he said, of the central government’s commitment to public security. "There were never as many national police or civil guards in Cantabria as there are now," he said.
Likewise, he wanted to recognize the work of thousands of people in Spain and Cantabria "with a great vocation of service", who participate in the institutions in the spirit "of serving and not of serving us". "Our legacy must be democratic institutions, a strong welfare state and a healthy planet. What is the heritage of all, of all citizens," I said.
Finally, he reiterated his commitment to a Cantabria "prosperous, open, hard-working, innovative, supportive and fair" and closed his speech wishing a "happy Day of the Institutions" to all Cantabrians and Cantabrians.