Address by the vice president on the Diada de les Illes Balears

Discurs Dia Illes 2016Hello, I want to thank all the authorities and residents that have come today for the Council's ceremonial act in celebration of Balearic Islands day.

A celebration which takes place on Formentera, and Eivissa, Menorca and Mallorca as well.

Today is the first of March. An important day for the Balearic Islands. We celebrate this day in commemoration of the first statute of the Balearic Islands' entry into force. That happened 1 March 1983. We also commemorate the entry into force of that statute's revision, 1 March 2007.

That revision was very important for our island. It is what paved the way for the creation of the Formentera Island Council.

So March 1st is an important day for our island and all the Balearic Islands, because it's a celebration that reminds us of the common project we are developing together.

A project that requires our unity.

On Formentera, these first few months of the legislative session, we are showing unity is possible if we've got common goals, if we heed the requests of our people.

A common project on land protection.

The Govern Balear must provide each island, each council, the support they need to carry out their respective models of environmental protection.

A common project on culture, language and education.

Language and education must no longer be hijacked as motives for clashes and division.

We are a community that welcomes newcomers. Some of our most important values are precisely our language and culture. It is vital that we recognise the importance of our past, because our history is what makes our language and culture what they are today. And it is essential that we recognise: these commonalities serve as a basis for our shared future.

A common project built around people.

Each new facility, each infrastructural change, must serve to improve the quality of life of our people. Infrastructural changes and multimillion euro investments do us no good if their main target isn't to improve the daily reality we face as a people.

Formentera, Eivissa, Menorca and Mallorca... Each with its own identity and all of us working toward a common project.

Each of our islands has got a series of different on-the-ground realities which must be respected and made into advantages. However, environmental protection, defence of our local culture and the quality of life of islanders are goals that MUST BE SHARED.

Thank you very much for your attention

Feliç dia de les Illes Balears! Here's to the success of all our work together!

Susana Labrador
Vice president of the Formentera Council