Minister Sílvia Paneque has concluded the institutional tribute event for Walter Benjamin held at the Portbou cemetery. Paneque highlighted the Government's intention to "work to add value of memory and reflection to Portbou with the new Walter Benjamin space", hoping it will soon become the venue for the Conferences.
During the speeches, after the floral offering with the director of the Memorial Democràtic, Jordi Font, the minister expressed that the event felt "heartfelt", as "the darkest moments of our history resonate in the present we live in". She celebrated the participation of "young people" in the Colloquium as a symbol of hope and noted that Portbou is consolidating itself as a "space for reflective, intellectual, and therefore political, encounters".
Paneque pointed out that the tribute is part of the XVIII International Walter Benjamin Colloquium, which this year pays special attention to the German-Jewish philosopher Hannah Arendt. The aim is to reflect on the importance of these thinkers and their warning to prevent the past from repeating itself.
The minister advocated for "the value of politics" and, in reference to the effect of populism, defended "the importance of democracy and of having very well-defined and delimited margins".
The XVIII International Walter Benjamin Colloquium, co-organized by the Memorial Democràtic, will continue until tomorrow, Sunday. It will bring together voices from contemporary thought to discuss the relevance of Arendt's ideas at a time when debates on democracy, freedoms, and fundamental rights continue to be central to the public agenda.
