Photo credit: Janet Donovan
“Those of you who were here last year, those of you who come year in and year out, might be surprised to see me. As you’ll all say, ‘Didn’t he say last year he was going to leave?’ This is an evening to celebrate what is going to be my fifth Spanish National Day in this extraordinary country and this beautiful capital. Last year … that’s why I’m still here … has been a bit of a roller coaster for our country. We’ve been, as you know, without a government for 10 months now, but I’m happy to tell you that by the end of this month, in all likelihood, we’ll have a new government in place and we’ll be able to move forward politically. Despite the political challenges that we’ve undergone, the economy of Spain is continuing its robust recovery. Economic growth has increased. The financial system is stronger and more stable, and new jobs have been created. That doesn’t mean I will not be here next year. I can tell you, I might be. ” We hope so. Ramon Gil-Casares, The Ambassador of Spain, has been an engaging addition to the diplomatic community and celebrating Spain’s National Day was no exception.
Ambassador Ramon Gil-Casares
“Coming to why we’re here – we’re going to celebrate a series of events. Our National Day is much more than a day when we pause to celebrate our country,” he added. “It is a day that unites us in a very special way with the Americas and with the United States in particular. This is the day in which we are reminded of our unbreakable relationship with the Hispanic community of which we consider ourselves part. We are extremely proud to witness the profound contribution that the Hispanic community has had in the United States. We look forward to witnessing the future contributions, which I am confident will know no boundaries, no walls and no limits. The relationship between the United States and Spain fundamentally is a people-to-people relationship. Last July we were honored to welcome President Obama to Spain, where he met with His Majesty, King Felipe VI. He also visited Rota Naval Base, where he met with Spanish and American service members, or Team Rota as he called them. Our two countries, Spain and the United States, face the most pressing international security challenges hand in hand. Our bilateral military relationship and cooperation is a unique partnership within NATO and is constantly expanding. President Obama remarked that, and I quote, ‘The US could not ask for a better ally than Spain.’ With a toast to our two countries and to the new chapter that we’ll be opening 2017. This new chapter will be written on the basis of the solid foundations of friendship that are as old as our two countries themselves. To the United States and to Spain.”
In between three different versions of paella, we caught up with Juan Carlos Iragorri, a Columbian journalist who told Hollywood on the Potomac about Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos who won the Nobel Peace Prize for efforts to end his nation’s 52-year civil war. “I think it’s good news for Colombia. Everybody in Colombia recognizes the efforts of President Santos in this peace deal, his agreement with FARC. The thing is that in the plebiscite, October 2, people repealed the agreement, so now they will have to change it, but everyone recognizes the efforts of President Santos in these negotiations.” He also recognized the great diplomatic efforts of the Colombian Ambassador here in Washington, DC – Juan Carlos Pinzón. “He was the Chief of Staff to President Santos and also the Defense Minister of President Santos two years ago. He’s been a great ambassador; he’s very close to President Santos.”
Guests enjoyed a lot more than paella – there was the traditional carving of jamon serrano and lots of Sangria
“The embassy has actually brought in 5 chefs, 3 of them from Valencia, Spain, where there is a very famous cooking school, and 2 from elsewhere, who are associated with the school. They’re providing food for the reception, which is the usual, annual, national day of Spanish reception,” journalist Roland Flamini explained to us.
Roland Flamini
When Ambassador Gil-Casares first arrived in the US, I sat down with him to discuss his career and how Spain has handled the economic crises with Brendan Kownacki on camera. A look back:
