Ronda remembers victims of terrorism with new sculpture: 'So that their lives are not forgotten'

Sculptures are artistic representations. Some have deeper meanings, others offer social criticism and sometimes they simply convey visual messages. In Ronda, a new work of art has been set in place for a few days now, near the town's train station. From there, it oversees the passage of hundreds of people throughout the day, with its corten steel appearance (also known as weathered steel, given an aged, rusted look) in the form of a vertical plaque, crowned with openwork branches at the top and with clearly legible engraved text in the centre.

"So that the victims of terrorism remain alive in our memory and in that of society. So that their lives are not forgotten", reads the inscription in the centre of the monument. The figure pays homage to the 11 victims of terrorism from Ronda and to the Ronda association of victims of terrorism. In fact, it was this organisation that pitched the memorial idea to the town hall, with the aim of ensuring that these people are most certainly not forgotten.

The sculpture was unveiled last Sunday in a solemn ceremony attended by hundreds of people. Among those present were the sculptor from Úbeda himself, David Sánchez Cruz, Ronda's mayor Mari Paz Fernández, honorary president of the association behind this project, Ángeles Pedraza, and its CEO Miguel Folguera. Others included José Jurado, a former Guardia Civil officer and survivor of a terrorist bomb attack, representatives from various civil and military authorities plus Ronda-based councillors from different political persuasions, among others.

During her speech, Ángeles Pedraza made it clear that they will never forget "all the victims of terrorism". She commented that many politicians today are urging them to move on, but she was blunt in her riposte: "Forget what? That they have killed a son, a father? That cannot be forgotten."

Pedraza acknowledged that, despite always remembering what happened during those years, she tries not to live in hatred. She does, however, seek to explain to all young people what happened in Spain, in order to prevent it from happening again: "Children need to know that the killing of people has been going on for almost 60 years. In the association, we have recognised nearly 20 terrorist groups and there is also a global form of terrorism, which is jihadist", she stressed. She also directed her message to the many municipal authorities, highlighting their work in installing monuments, monoliths, plaques or any other type of commemorative symbol so that the victims of such acts of terrorism are remembered.

For her, there is still a segment of society that tries to erase the memory of the victims of terrorism, which is why this event in Ronda has served to "shout out that they deserve remembrance, truth, justice and recognition". She also insisted that remembrance is essential for young people to understand what happened in their own country: "From Ronda, we are extremely proud to contribute to the just and dignified memory of the victims of terrorism", she concluded.

For his part, the sculptor from Úbeda defined the work as follows: "Its main structure rises as a gesture of remembrance and dignity. The piece culminates in leaves of the same material, which are a metaphor for the generations that succeed one another and for life being reborn despite the pain. He added that "these leaves, in their ascending arrangement, also evoke peace, reconciliation and hope for a future where coexistence prevails over violence." The monument therefore stands, not only as a place of homage and contemplation, but also as a collective reminder of the importance of defending democratic values and human rights.