The Diplomat
The historian, journalist and political scientist José Antonio Lisbona received the Crown of Esther Award on Monday at the Centro Sefarad-Israel, in a ceremony that also celebrated the Jewish New Year, Rosh Hashanah 5782.
The prize, which is awarded annually to individuals or institutions that have promoted concord and intercultural dialogue, went this year to José Antonio Lisbona, according to the jury’s report, for “his commitment to the study of Spanish Jewish identity, his extraordinary efforts in researching the salvific work of Spanish diplomats and the relations between Spain and the State of Israel”.
The ceremony was opened by the Director General of the Centro Sefarad-Israel, Miguel de Lucas, and was attended, among others, by the Undersecretary of Foreign Affairs, Luis Cuesta; the Deputy Minister of Culture and Tourism of the Community of Madrid, Daniel Martínez Rodríguez; the Director of the International Area of the Madrid City Council, Cecilio Cerdán, representing the Mayor of Madrid; the Secretary of the Federation of Jewish Communities in Spain, Maxo Benalal; and the President of the Jewish Community of Madrid, Estrella Bengio.
In their speeches, they all praised the work carried out over many years by José Antonio Lisbona, through his books and writings, both on the history and life of the Jews in Spain, and on relations between Spain and Israel, including the process of diplomatic normalisation that culminated in 1986.
Miguel de Lucas recalled, in particular, the book “Más allá del deber”, in which Lisbona collected his work on Spanish diplomats and the Holocaust, which was reflected in an exhibition.
After receiving the award, the prize-winner said that he felt very honoured by it and thanked the Centro Sefarad-Israel for the distinction, which he said has managed to reduce the lack of knowledge about Jews and Israel in Spanish society.
Lisbona stressed that this year marks the 35th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Spain and Israel and pointed out that “forty years ago, studies on the Jewish presence and culture in Spain focused almost exclusively on the past, on that longed-for Sepharad”, but there was a vacuum and a lack of knowledge about the present.
He indicated that he has worked with rigour and pointed out that the prize encourages him to continue working with this rigour and credibility.
The Undersecretary of Foreign Affairs closed the ceremony by pointing out that whether the new Jewish year 5782 will be a great year “depends, he said, on our work, on our personal responsibility and our capacity for dialogue and acceptance of diversity, so that in our society no one is excluded and no one is left behind”.
Luis Cuesta congratulated the award-winner, whom he said that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs had made good use of, above all, the chapter on relations between Spain and Israel and the work of Spanish diplomats during the Holocaust.
The Minister of Foreign Affairs, José Manuel Albares, sent a congratulatory video to the Jewish community in Spain on the occasion of Rosh Hashanah.
