“It is thanks to a Europe directed towards the real economy how we will be able to have growth and employment again, and to respond to the drama of immigration and human trafficking”. With these words, Italia’s Ambassador to Spain, Pietro Sebastiani (in the above picture with Endesa’s president, Borja Prado, and their respective wives), highlighted the two serious problems of the EU during his speech to welcome those invited to the reception of the Republic Day.
Around a thousand people were present at the small palace of Juan Bravo Street to celebrate the event, which was attended by the Italian Minister of Education, Stefania Giannini, who firmly defended the Research and the Education as foundations for Europe’s development by pointing out that “in the future, new jobs will be more connected to technology and innovation. These are the fields that need the most investment”.
Sebastiani also remembered the recent trip to Spain of the Italian President, Sergio Mattarella, “to reconfirm the extraordinary ties of affection, affinity, union and collaboration between our countries”. Besides, he emphasized the success of the recently inaugurated Expo Milan.
Representing the Spanish Government were the Minister of Health, Alfonso Alonso; the secretary of State for the EU, Íñigo Méndez de Vigo; the secretary of State for Research, Carmen Vela; as well as a large group of diplomats of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Among the guests, were present the deputy of the PSOE Juan Moscoso; Father Ángel, president of the NGO Mensajeros de la Paz; the president of Atlético de Madrid, Enrique Cerezo; the director of Communication of ArganOil, Renata Ruggeri; and the director of Institutional Relations of the Menarini Group, Javier Hidalgo.
Also attending the event were the ambassadors of Switzerland, Latvia, Estonia, Bulgaria, Hungary, Malta, Andorra, Cyprus, Austria, Germany, Haiti and Iraq; diplomats representing the embassies of Poland, Costa Rica, the United States, Congo, France, Russia, China and Japan; and Italy’s honorary vice-consul to Corunna, Francesco Milani, among others.
Text and pictures: J.D. Latorre/A. Rubio
From left to right: the Spanish secretary of State for Research, Carmen Vela; the Italian Minister of Education, Stefania Giannini; and Italy’s Ambassador to Spain, Pietro Sebastiani.
From left to right: Latvia’s Ambassador, Janis Eichmanis; Cyprus’s Ambassador, Antonis Toumazis; Estonia’s Ambassador, Rasmus Lumi; Bulgaria’s Ambassador, Kostadin Kodzhabashev; and Switzerland’s Ambassador, Thomas Kolly.
Italy’s honorary vice-consul to Corunna, Francesco Milani, with the Press Director of ArganOil, Renata Ruggeri, and the secretary of State for the EU, Íñigo Méndez de Vigo.
The Minister of Health, Alfonso Alonso, and the director of Institutional Relations of the Menarini Group, Javier Hidalgo. Italy’s honorary vice-consul to Corunna, Francesco Milani.
The head of the Cultural section of The Diplomat, Juan David Latorre, with Haiti’s Ambassador, Hubert Labbé.
The president of Atlético de Madrid, Enrique Cerezo; Father Ángel, president of Mensajeros de la Paz; and the Spanish diplomat, Antonio Millán.
