Last night, the Valencian Community journalism prizes were awarded in Valencia. Once again, Ribera Salud took part in this great CSIF initiative which, after six years, has fulfilled the objective which it was created for: to recognise the work carried out by media professionals. Every year, this great event is filled with warmth and professionalism. But last night the president of the Generalitat (the local government) attended it for the first time, together with other dignitaries who, through their presence, supported what has undoubtedly been, for the last six years, a celebration of freedom.
This is my speech from last night, which I dedicated to this year’s brilliant winners.
Dear Jessica, Dear Pere, Dear Ortifus: Congratulations.
Thank you, President, for letting me skip the formal greeting, but I think we all agree that the journalists honored in this edition of the Journalism Prizes are the stars tonight. These prizes are an initiative of the CSIF trade union which the Ribera Salud Group backed from the very beginning, six years ago, by actively collaborating and participating in its organization.
You, Jessica, Pere and Ortifus, together with the rest of the journalists who have previously received this prize, and with all the colleagues who are with us here tonight, represent a profession and a sector that has a lot in common with the health sector which I belong to. As I have said in all the previous editions, we support this initiative because we feel identified with the values shared by health professionals and media professionals: vocation, responsibility, education, information, raising awareness, dedication, and so on.
Both our sectors are going through deep structural changes and will have to go through even more changes to guarantee their strength in the future, maintaining what is essential whilst accepting that it is impossible for everything to stay the same.
I have no doubt that the society which we serve will appreciate us being open and leading and anticipating these changes. I cannot foresee the future, but from the Ribera Salud Group we will try to continue supporting this initiative that now is, I believe, an important date valued by all media professionals.
I abide by the spirit of the sentence that Uniteco has so accurately chosen to put on our tables: “The value of words and the strength of truth”, which undoubtedly is very well represented by this year’s winners, Jessica, Pere and Ortifus. And please allow me to especially address Ortifus, to add “To the value of words and the strength of truth, the power of image to change the world”.
Thank you very much, Honourable President of the Valencian government, Honourable regional ministers, esteemed dignitaries and friends, for being with us here tonight. Thank you.
