The small town of Cuacos de Yusta, in the municipality of Cáceres (Autonomic Community of Extremadura, Spain), houses the hidden gem of the Yusta Monastery, where, in 1558, King Carlos V of the Sacred Roman-Germanic Empire died, after choosing to live the last two years of his life in the structure.
The monastery was also one of just four places in Spain to get the first round of distinctions as a European Patrimony, awarded to places of historical significance for the history of the continent.
For all these reasons, Yuste was the perfect backdrop for the ceremony during which King Felipe of Spain awarded German Chancellor Angela Merkel with the Carlos V Prize.
Arriving in Extremadura on Thursday, 14 October, His Majesty was welcomed by cheers from the crowd, who shouted “Live the King!” and chanted Felipe’s name, as well as a plethora of authorities that included Spanish political figures, the ambassadors that tie Germany and Spain, but, most importantly, the Chancellor herself.
The monarch is also Honorary President of the European and Ibero-American Academy Foundation of Yuste, which is why, following speeches from the President of the Extremadura Parliament and the President of the Yuste Foundation, King Felipe was the one in charge of handing the prize to Chancellor Merkel, who thanked everyone with just a few words.
Following the playing of the European Union anthem (the Ode to Joy by Beethoven, with lyrics by German poet Schiller), King Felipe delivered a speech, in which he praised the Chancellor for her long commitment to building Europe, and the community within it, not just from an economic perspective, but also culturally and civilly. His Majesty also highlighted the importance of Europe as a motor for pushing all countries within it to express their best potential, to encourage their youths to dream bigger and bigger, and to keep at the forefront the fundamental values on which Europe is founded: freedom, equality, human rights, individual dignity, democracy and peace.
The award portion of the event was then declared concluded, and the King and the Chancellor signed the guest book of the foundation, before them and all other authorities moved outside for a photo opportunity and a walk to the olive of peace, where they had a chance of exchanging a few words with representatives from Spanish and German society.
Chancellor Merkel is the third woman to receive the Carlos V Prize and the second German chancellor. The prize is awarded to those people, entities or projects that have contributed to the growth of European values and the Union.
The foundation also connects the youth to the prize, awarding ten scholarships for Mobility in European Studies to doctoral students preparing a dissertation on any social or human science. The only condition is that the dissertation has to be related to the curriculum of the person receiving the Carlos V Prize.
Chancellor Merkel announced her retirement from political life in October 2018, renouncing the leadership of her party during the convention and stating that she would not run for a fifth term as chancellor in 2021. The election took place on 26 September, and, with no party obtaining an absolute majority, talks are still ongoing to create a governing coalition that will allow Merkel to step down and be replaced by the new chancellor.
