One People, One Language, One Shared Future

Understanding where we come from and who we are is essential to navigate the present with confidence and face the future with assurance. It becomes a necessity and urgency to defend our origins, our history, and what makes us unique as a people.

Today, 9th October, we celebrate the passion for our land, the richness of our culture, and the beauty of a language that identifies and unites us. A language that belongs to everyone and should not be used as a tool to destabilise social harmony. A language spoken by our ancestors and one we will pass on to our children. Ultimately, a language that is the essence and symbol of our identity.

The people of Alicante feel proud to belong to a diverse, open, and hardworking community, a community that shares the same spirit of coexistence, solidarity, and appreciation for who we are and what we represent. The 9th of October reminds us that our strength lies in what is common and close to us, in the feeling of brotherhood. It is a day to remember that we are heirs to a history full of nuances and distinctive traits, a living history that compels us to take responsibility in building a better tomorrow for future generations. This aspiration involves continuing to defend everything that represents us, with pride, rigour, and collective interest.

The Mediterranean Sea that bathes our towns and cities; the light of the sunsets that illuminates every corner like nowhere else; the hospitality of our people; the scent of our fields laden with fruits and vegetables; the bustling activity of the fish markets; the hustle and bustle of action and exchange in our manufacturing industries; the eternal smile of visitors when they set foot in our province... All this resonates deeply within us, and all this we contribute to the legacy of the Valencian Community and the rest of Spain, because we are a land rich in values, rich in generosity, rich in natural heritage.

Now, our Community is going through a period of reconstruction. These are times to support each other, to accompany each other, to help each other, to work shoulder to shoulder, to persevere in acts of empathy, and to uphold the idea that we are capable of reinventing ourselves without ever losing our spirit and identity. Because the greatness of our people is measured through the resilience of its people to look forward. Reconstruction is not just a matter of infrastructure; it is a commitment to people, to their experiences and memories. It is also about the future, the well-being of the citizens, and the protection of a territory we deeply love.

We are a land open to the world, cutting-edge and prosperous, capable of moving forward without forgetting the roots that sustain us. We are the voice of a people in constant evolution. We are the light that inspires, the warmth that welcomes. We are the haven from which we create and dream, and from which we make the dreams of the people come true.

Let us never forget to build a future worthy of the history that has brought us here.

Happy 9th October, people of Alicante!