Spanish ambassador to Bulgaria Fernando Arias Gonzalez shares his thoughts on the significance of his country’s National Day

The celebration of the national day of a country such as Spain means the commemoration of a long and rich history protagonised by a group of Europeans that are namely the Spanish.

A day was decided upon to celebrate this festivity: the 12th of October, because on October 12 1492, Cristobal Colon (Christopher Columbus) arrived at the new lands, thus marking the beginning in the New World, and later, the Caribbean Islands and the Americas.

This was the origin of the culmination of the Spanish Empire, which eventually transformed into more than 20 Spanish-speaking countries.

In Spain, the holiday is celebrated by a big military parade held in Madrid with the presence of the head of state, King Juan Carlos I, the royal family, the government, the diplomatic corps, the most important authorities of the country and large public attendance.

In Bulgaria, we will celebrate it with a big reception that I will host in my residence.

I remember in 2002, when I attended the celebration in Madrid and the then-prime minister Jose Maria Aznar inaugurated a spectacular gigantic Spanish flag in the Plaza de Colon (Square of Columbus), which is one of the main squares of Madrid, where dignitaries stand during the celebratory parade. I remember that this flag was so big that it needed special powerful wind-producing machine to keep the banner waving. I am glad to say that this flag continues to wave there today.

It is impossible for me to say what my favourite festive food is. If you travelled through Spain, you would understand this, because there are many cuisines and specialties in different parts of the country which are the result of history, traditions, climate and geography.

To be Spanish means, above all, to be European, but also to be a citizen of a country surrounded by three huge seas: the Cantabrian in the north, the Atlantic in the west and the Mediterranean in the south and east. As a result of this, Spain has always been opened to the world and has undergone many influences and invasions. Consequently, being Spanish implies having a special character generated by a country that is very diversified, tolerant and open-minded.

Living abroad gives me the chance to learn from other cultures how to better understand my own country.

Similarities I see are how the Bulgarians, like the Spanish, are family-minded and friendly people that like to socialise a lot. And also like Spain, they are more and more interested in intensifying contacts with other countries.

On the other hand, Bulgarians and Spanish have in common that we feel very European because we both have very ancient histories and have formed modern societies that believe in the European project for the future of our countries.

In the past few years, Spain has co-operated with Bulgaria in many fields, such as telecommunications, food safety, hospitals, the reform of the judicial system, police reform and the absorption of European funds. In the future, this co-operation will intensify because we must take into consideration that both countries are linked by the common statute of member countries of the European Union, which means, among many other things, that Bulgaria and Spain are partners.