The Diplomat
The Autonomous Communities of the Basque Country, Andalusia, the Canary Islands and Castile and Leon have been integrated into the National Commission for the commemoration of the fifth centenary of the first round-the-world trip, according to an agreement adopted at the last Council of Ministers.
Last Tuesday, the Government approved the modification of the Royal Decree that regulated the aforementioned Commission so as to extend its operation until 30 June 2023 and include the participation of representatives from the Basque, Andalusian, Castile and Leon and Canary Islands communities, as they are closely related to the expedition of Fernando de Magallanes and Juan Sebastián Elcano.
In a press release the Executive indicates that another of the objectives of the modification of Royal Decree 582/2017 of 12 June is to adapt the organic references to the current structure of the ministerial departments.
This decree established the extinction of the commission’s activity by 31 December 2020, but it has been decided to extend it, as it is planned to hold events after that date to mark the 500th anniversary of the return to Seville of the only surviving ship from the expedition, on 6 September 1522, as explained in the note.
The new National Commission will be chaired by the First Vice-President of the Government, Carmen Calvo, who will have three Vice-Presidents: the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Arancha González Laya, the Minister of Defence, Margarita Robles, and the Minister of Culture, José Manuel Rodríguez Uribes. It will also have several members, including the councillors of the four autonomous communities now incorporated.
