President urges greater decision-making role for women at Catalonia International Prize ceremony

President Salvador Illa has called for women to be given "the role they deserve" in decision-making positions, from which they have been excluded "for far too long."

Illa made the remarks at the ceremony for the Catalonia International Prize on Thursday, awarded this year to Yael Admi and Reem al-Hajajreh, Israeli and Palestinian peace activists. 

Speaking at the event – held at the Palau de la Generalitat with music from Jordi Savall – Illa highlighted the laureates as an example that peace "is possible despite the difficulties."

"On behalf of the Catalan people, thank you from the bottom of our hearts for keeping alive the hope of millions of people around the world who believe that peace and coexistence are the most important values," Illa told the award recipients.

The prize recognises the activists' joint work through the initiative Mothers' Call, a cross-border, women-led movement that calls for an end to violence and the resumption of negotiations as the only way to guarantee security and dignity for both peoples.

In an interview with the Catalan News Agency (ACN), the two activists argued for the "active role" of women in the peace process and criticised their "exclusion" from the Gaza agreement promoted by the US president Donald Trump in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt.

At the ceremony, Illa returned to the theme. "We are living in a new era of predators, who seek to impose the politics of force over reason," he said. "There is nothing to be done, it is inevitable, some say. If today's award winners had said that, they would not be here now to show us that nothing is inevitable."

"Despite the difficulties, peace is possible. It belongs to brave people who dare to break the vicious circle of violence and revenge," Illa added. To achieve this, the Catalan president called for "empathy, which is what those who want to impose war fear most."

"Palestine and Israel have the right to live together in peace," Illa said, adding that "until that happens, Catalonia will remain firm in its commitment" to the region.

In closing, the president also stressed that the prize "is intended as a commitment to dialogue between religions, to make universal the values we share."