Educating in values means strengthening life in society without abandoning the complex moral universe within each of us
En el marco de los Premios Princesa de Asturias, el rey Felipe VI ofreció algo más que un discurso de gala: un diagnóstico sobre el estado de las democracias contemporáneas. Desde Oviedo, advirtió que las sociedades oscilan entre el individualismo radical y el impulso homogeneizador de la globalización, dos extremos que erosionan la convivencia. Frente a esa tensión, propuso la educación en valores no como ideal abstracto, sino como tarea urgente y concreta: el trabajo de encontrar, generación tras generación, el equilibrio entre los derechos del individuo y la responsabilidad compartida.
- La polarización social no es solo un telón de fondo: el Rey la nombró como amenaza directa a los sistemas democráticos, capaz de dificultar la transmisión de valores entre generaciones.
- La ceremonia reunió a galardonados de disciplinas radicalmente distintas —filosofía, genética, literatura, deporte, fotografía, política, antropología— como evidencia viva de que la excelencia no tiene un solo rostro.
- Felipe VI anunció un relevo simbólico pero significativo: es momento de ceder protagonismo a la princesa Leonor, que lleva once años como presidenta honoraria de la fundación y asume un papel cada vez más visible.
- El Rey encontró esperanza concreta en el encuentro entre los laureados y los jóvenes durante la semana de actos: en sus preguntas y su entusiasmo vio señales de que la siguiente generación sigue buscando referentes.
- El cierre del discurso reafirmó el vínculo con Asturias como algo más que protocolo: una memoria colectiva que insiste, cada otoño, en que la seriedad ética y la excelencia aún tienen lugar en la vida pública.
El rey Felipe VI aprovechó la ceremonia de los Premios Princesa de Asturias para ir más allá del elogio a los galardonados y ofrecer un diagnóstico sobre el momento que atraviesan las democracias. Su advertencia fue clara: la sociedad oscila entre dos extremos igualmente peligrosos, el individualismo radical y el impulso globalizador que tiende a homogeneizar, y ambos amenazan la convivencia y la diversidad que sostienen la vida democrática.
En ese contexto, el Rey defendió la educación en valores como una necesidad, no un lujo. Educar en valores, dijo, significa fortalecer la vida en sociedad sin renunciar al universo moral complejo que habita en cada persona. Transmitir principios a las generaciones jóvenes no es un gesto cultural sino una tarea política en el sentido más profundo: la que hace posible consolidar la democracia cuando la polarización dificulta el entendimiento.
La ceremonia también marcó un momento de transición dinástica. Felipe VI reconoció que ha llegado el momento de ceder espacio a la princesa Leonor, presidenta honoraria de la fundación desde hace once años y figura cada vez más presente en la vida pública. Al mismo tiempo, reafirmó su propio compromiso con Asturias y con la misión de los premios, señalando que el relevo no implica ruptura sino continuidad.
Los laureados —entre ellos el filósofo Byung-Chul Han, la genetista Mary-Claire King, el escritor Eduardo Mendoza, la tenista Serena Williams y el expresidente del BCE Mario Draghi— encarnaron, cada uno a su manera, la pluralidad de formas en que la excelencia puede manifestarse. Lo que más impresionó al Rey fue verlos interactuar con jóvenes durante la semana: en ese intercambio encontró una señal de esperanza, prueba de que la siguiente generación sigue buscando referentes y está dispuesta a aprender.
Al cerrar, agradeció a Asturias su calidez y situó la ceremonia como parte de la memoria colectiva de España: un ritual que año tras año insiste en que la excelencia y la seriedad ética todavía tienen un lugar en la vida pública.
King Felipe VI stood before the assembled crowd at the Princess of Asturias Awards ceremony and offered a diagnosis of the moment: society is caught between two equally troubling extremes, swinging between radical individualism on one side and a homogenizing global impulse on the other. Both, he suggested, threaten the delicate balance that allows people to live together.
The ceremony itself was a celebration of excellence across disciplines—a philosopher, a sociologist, a geneticist, a novelist, an athlete, a photographer, a political leader, and a museum. But the King's remarks moved beyond congratulation into something closer to a warning about the state of democratic life. He framed ethical education not as a luxury but as a necessity, describing it as the work of finding middle ground between individual rights and collective responsibility, between respecting what binds a community together and honoring what makes each person distinct.
"Educating in values means strengthening life in society without abandoning the complex moral universe that exists within each of us," Felipe VI said, articulating a vision of formation that refuses easy answers. He spoke of transmitting principles to younger generations as essential to consolidating democracy itself—a task that feels urgent precisely because the polarization he described makes such transmission harder.
The ceremony also marked a visible shift in the monarchy's generational structure. Princess Leonor, his daughter and heir to the throne, has held the honorary presidency of the foundation for eleven years and is assuming an increasingly visible role in public life. The King acknowledged this directly, saying it was time for him to cede space to her, both as heir and as the face of the institution. Yet he reaffirmed his own enduring commitment to Asturias and the foundation's mission, signaling continuity even as responsibility passes.
The laureates themselves embodied the King's point about excellence across domains. Byung-Chul Han's philosophical critique of contemporary life, Douglas Massey's demographic analysis of migration, Mary-Claire King's genetic discoveries, Eduardo Mendoza's narrative gift, Serena Williams's competitive spirit, Graciela Iturbide's unflinching photography, Mario Draghi's leadership toward consensus in Europe, and the National Museum of Anthropology in Mexico—each represented a different way of engaging with the world, a different form of rigor and contribution.
What struck the King most forcefully, he said, was watching these laureates interact with young people throughout the week. He saw in the questions, the applause, the hunger for engagement something that gave him hope—evidence that the next generation was still reaching toward exemplars, still curious, still willing to learn. He invited the society watching to receive these examples not as distant achievements but as illumination for their own paths, as proof that improvement is possible.
In closing, he thanked Asturias itself—for the warmth, the enthusiasm, the affection that greets these awards each autumn. He positioned the ceremony as part of Spain's collective memory, a ritual that matters because it insists, year after year, that excellence and ethical seriousness still have a place in public life. The warning about polarization was real, but so was the faith that education, example, and the transmission of values could still hold.
Notable Quotes
Educating in values means strengthening life in society without abandoning the complex moral universe that exists within each of us— King Felipe VI
It is my responsibility to gradually cede this space to her, as heir to the crown and as honorary president of the foundation— King Felipe VI, on Princess Leonor's increasing role
The Hearth Conversation Another angle on the story
When the King speaks of society oscillating between two extremes, what does he actually mean by that? Is he talking about left and right?
Not exactly. He's describing something deeper—radical individualism on one end, where people pursue their own interests without regard for the collective, and on the other, a kind of homogenizing globalization that erases local difference and diversity. Both pull apart the fabric of shared life.
And he thinks ethical education is the answer?
Not the answer, but a tool. He's saying that if you teach people to think about their obligations to others while also respecting their own dignity and autonomy, you create the conditions for democracy to actually work. It's about balance.
Why does he keep emphasizing the young people's engagement with the laureates?
Because he sees it as evidence that the transmission is still happening. That young people are still willing to learn from exemplars, still asking questions, still reaching upward. It's his counterargument to the polarization he's warning about.
And what about Princess Leonor taking over?
It's a deliberate passing of the torch. He's saying his role is to gradually step back while she steps forward. It's institutional continuity, but it's also a statement that the monarchy itself is renewing, adapting, moving into the next generation.
Does he seem worried?
Yes, but not despairing. He's naming a real problem—the polarization is happening, the extremes are pulling harder. But he's also insisting that there are people doing excellent work, that young people are still engaged, that values can still be transmitted. It's a measured concern, not panic.