The Diplomat. Photos: Embassy of Paraguay.
The Embassy of Paraguay commemorated last week its 210th Anniversary of National Independence with an institutional visit to the cities of Oviedo and Gijón, during which it held numerous official and cultural events.
First of all, Ambassador Ricardo Scavone visited the Oviedo Chamber of Commerce last Thursday, where he met with the presidents of the Chambers of Commerce of Asturias. Then, on Friday 14, he had a meeting with Belarmino Feito, president of the Asturian Federation of Businessmen (FADE) – Oviedo, and then attended the National Day celebration at the Museum of the People of Asturias in Gijón, where Paraguayan associations and citizens living in Asturias were able to enjoy the folklore, crafts, gastronomy and costumes of their land. There are 2,300 Paraguayans living in Asturias; 70% are women who work in domestic service and care for the elderly. Paraguayan associations of A Veiga/Vegadeo, Las Cuencas and Gijón/Xixón were formed. It was a very emotional celebration and also vindicative of this community.
That same day in the afternoon, the Paraguayan ambassador met with the President of the Principality of Asturias, Adrián Barbón Rodríguez, at the Principality’s Government Headquarters, and presented him with a gift of works by Julia Isidrez, a Paraguayan ceramist.
Finally, last Saturday, Ambassador Ricardo Scavone, accompanied by Minister Liz Coronel, Minister Maria Soledad Saldivar and Lic. María Luisa Almeida, held an exhibition on the main milestones of Paraguayan history at the UniOvi (official website of the University of Oviedo). They were received by Ignacio Villaverde, Rector of the University, and Josefa (Pepa) Saez, Professor of History, University of Oviedo, Vice-President Academia Xacobea. Santiago García Granada, former rector of the University, as well as personalities of Asturian culture, professors and students of the University of Oviedo and local historians were present at the event.
During the visit to the Asturian cities, an Honorary Consulate was set up in the Principality, which will be headed by the diplomat Javier Marqués. We will consolidate the work that has been going on for some years now,” Ambassador Scavone said at the event, “to strengthen commercial and economic relations with Asturias”.
