“We Spaniards have much to celebrate”
Edited by Anna Popper
Each year on 12 October, Spain celebrates its National Day, marking the historic landing of Christopher Columbus in the Americas in 1492 and commemorating the discovery of the New World. Columbus set sail with the goal of finding a direct route from Europe to Asia, but his voyage 532 years ago ultimately opened the door to the Age of Explorations and Discoveries – a period that reshaped history, culture and economies worldwide. Spain’s legacy from this transformative era endures and is reflected in its rich traditions and cultural heritage.
This day, known as Día de la Hispanidad, honours Spain’s heritage and global impact. Today, Spain continues to exert a powerful influence, particularly through the Spanish language, as an official language in 21 countries and plays a central role in global communication. Overall, around 580 million people worldwide are able to communicate in Spanish.
In celebration of Spain’s National Day, H.E. Alfonso Dastis Quecedo, Ambassador of Spain to Hungary, and Mrs. Marisa Alonso hosted a diplomatic reception at the splendid Áurea Ana Palace Hotel in Budapest. This historic hotel, located in a 19th-century palace from the Austro-Hungarian Monarchy on the banks of the Danube River, provided a refined and elegant setting for the occasion.
The event drew high-ranking officials from the Hungarian government, dignitaries from cultural, academic, and business spheres, members of the diplomatic corps, Spanish nationals residing in Hungary, and numerous esteemed guests.
The evening began with the national anthems of Spain, Hungary and the EU,
and was followed by the address of Ambassador Alfonso Dastis Quecedo:
“Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen,
I am a convinced follower of the Spanish philosopher Baltasar Gracián y Morales (1601-1658), who famously said that good things, if brief, are twice as good. And even bad things, if short, are less bad.
In fact, in the interest of brevity, I shall be speaking in English. I take that all of you who move in diplomatic circles do understand it.
On national day celebrations, it is customary to say a few words to explain what we are celebrating. For Spain, the National Day is 12 October. This date symbolises the historical event when Spain, about to conclude a process of State-building based on cultural and political plurality and the integration of the various kingdoms of Spain into the same monarchy, began a period of linguistic and cultural projection beyond the European borders – resulting in the meeting of two worlds.
These days, it is more and more common to question the past and criticise it using the moral lenses of the present. You could even say that in the case of Spain, both phenomena, its unification and its expansion, are being called into question, so we shouldn’t have much to celebrate. But I do not share those views.
I believe that we Spaniards have much to celebrate – a rich history, a splendid culture, with a language that is the second most widely spoken in the world (though I must atone for not using it this evening), an exuberant nature, a flourishing economy, and an open and inclusive society that welcomes foreigners who want to contribute to the good of the Nation. In sum: a Country to be proud of.
Today we celebrate our national holiday in another proud country, Hungary, with which we have a history of over a thousand years, with which we do not always see eye to eye politically or economically, but we are ready and willing to cooperate in the framework of the EU, NATO, the United Nations and any organisation that works toward making the world a better place for the human beings, who are the measure of all things.
Before concluding, let me thank all the sponsors without whose contribution this celebration would not have been possible: EUROSTARS, hosting us tonight in this magnificent hotel, CAF, which may have brought some of you in the tramways of Budapest, La LIGA, TALGO, CUPRA, AMES FLUIDRA, MONTE NEVADO, VINOS CASTILLO, TOKAJ OREMUS and ESTRELLA DAMM.”
“Finally, let me raise my glass to toast to Spain, Hungary and all of you. Thank you for coming, Köszönöm szépen!”
The official part continued with a lively reception in a warm and friendly atmosphere, offering a remarkable culinary experience. Guests savoured a selection of the finest and most renowned specialities of the Spanish cuisine, celebrated worldwide. This was accompanied by a variety of excellent Spanish wines, including the Spanish-owned Tokaj Oremus, making the evening truly unforgettable.
One of the event’s standout attractions was provided by CUPRA, the high-performance automotive brand launched as a sub-brand of SEAT, the renowned Spanish car manufacturer. Seated comfortably and equipped with a virtual reality headset, participants were invited to dive into the “Exponential Experience”: a ride in CUPRA’s electric car at the intersection of the physical and virtual realms. This “phygital” experience transcended the boundaries between tangible and digital, merging real and virtual driving sensations to create a thrilling, immersive journey. CUPRA’s innovative approach elevated the excitement of driving, leaving an unforgettable impression and showcasing a premier example of cutting-edge Spanish technology.
Source: Embassy of Spain in Budapest
Photos by the Embassy of Spain in Budapest, and DPA
