Valencia’s Autonomy Anniversary: A Public Moment Under Scrutiny
In nearly every corporate gathering in Valencia, attendees walk away with a stubborn sense that the event prioritized guests over a shared feeling of home. Yet yesterday’s experience surpassed expectations, as if a visitor from another planet had settled into a familiar space. It opened a program shrouded in mystery, tied to the 40th anniversary of the Autonomy Statute. What unfolded was a scene of four friends celebrating in a style reminiscent of the Barrio del Carmen’s patronal festivities, accompanied by four extras. The lingering question was what kind of message these participants left for those they claimed to represent. The dialogue touched on figures like Monica Oltra, Mulberry, and Y Marza, but the narrative remained veiled and personal rather than offering clear planning guidance.
A sense of renewal threaded through the hall as eyes searched for a voice to anchor a memory of past freedoms. The speaker recalled youth as a period of raw defiance rather than political clarity, describing street protests led by students from Jorge Juan. Those marches, once called rebellious, carried a mix of disbelief, fear, impotence, anger, and pain. It seemed the city’s core—Cap i Casal, a central hub—had hosted those protests, while some familiar names stayed out of the spotlight. The choreography suggested a gap between memory and presence, leaving many feeling like unrecognized actors in a larger story. The names that might have signified the era—Garcia Miralles, Bevias, Pacos Moreno, Lilo, Celias, Set i Mig, Fifth Tomasetti, Cerdan Tato, Perea, Jesus Prado—were not on stage, and the sense of invisibility persisted. The impression was of a crowd that felt they mattered little, and perhaps that sentiment remains for some participants today.
Wednesday’s proceedings conveyed a sense of surface impact rather than forceful argument. The tone read as small-town and somewhat dusty, not aggressively so, but narrowly scoped. For those traveling from inland provinces to participate, the event carried a sting, a reminder of regional tensions and the impatience of a community receiving uneven attention from public officials. A journalist who weighed the value of the commentary offered a provocative question at the close: would it feel different if it were perceived as Catalanist by some observers? The remark sparked surprise. Pan-Catalanism had never been a serious concern in Alicante, a city built on alluvial soils, and the observer concluded that the event did not channel Catalan identity so much as reveal a stubborn attachment to tradition among farmers and local communities.
The chosen setting was a misstep. Forty years of self-government deserved a more central stage, perhaps the sovereign seat itself—the Cortes—or Palau, the residence of figures who symbolize autonomy. If a change of scenery was the goal, palaces, museums, or theaters might have offered a truer backdrop than a recently acquired Post Office building whose architecture seemed to overshadow the message with a grand coat of arms. The choice shaped the perception of the event as more ceremonial than policy, more spectacle than substance, leaving the audience wondering about the underlying intent behind the commemoration.
From there, the stream of decisions grew doubtful. The Commemoration Commissioner spoke in homage to the institutions of self-government during the early autonomy movement, naming Consell, Cortes, Sindicatura de Cuentas, the legal council, and Culture, yet left out a necessary connection to Alicante’s own experiences. The videos shown afterward lacked depth. The act included voices from three provinces, including a journalist from Alicante, Omer Sanco, yet much reflection came through a Spanish lens rather than a Valencian one, showing a long period of cultural immersion that has not yet produced a shared identity. The critique touched on language and education: although the Charter recognizes both Valencian and Spanish, many administrative sectors lean toward Valencian alone, raising concerns about equal access to civic processes for non-Valencian speakers. The tension hinted at a broader question about citizenship and whether everyone is truly treated as equals under the statute.
In the end, the charter was celebrated as a universal achievement—the constitution of a people—yet the event felt distinctly Valencian, edging toward a neighborhood festival. Some attendees saw it as a nod to local identity rather than a forward-looking national story. The gathering leaned inward, leaving less room for a broader conversation about shared future possibilities. Critics argued that the event lacked cross-partisan appeal and that political factions shaped the action to suit their bases, dampening the potential for inclusive civic dialogue. The mood suggested that constructive dialogue required a broader coalition rather than a narrow factional showcase, and many hoped for a more united expression that would transcend regional loyalties. As tensions rose, the crowd longed for a moment when dialogue would move from rhetoric to tangible plans that could engage all communities and generations.
When the statute was approved in 1982, García Miralles spoke in his capacity as a socialist spokesman, outlining a hopeful path forward without erasing the lessons of the past. Ximo Puig, in a concise reflection on yesterday’s events, acknowledged that commemoration should serve not as a mirror to the past but as a window to the future. Yet within a year, elections arrived, and citizens would vote on what lay ahead rather than what had been. The focus needed to be on living conditions and shared prosperity, not merely naming a historical milestone. The gatherings that followed highlighted ongoing political divides, with notable figures and intellectuals participating from different sides, while business leaders and academic authorities largely stayed away. A reporter speculated about future gatherings in Alicante, suggesting a chance for reconciliation and a broader, more inclusive celebration that could bridge divides rather than deepen them.