Juan David Latorre
The 24th Solidary Diplomatic Bazaar organised by the Asociación Internacional de Diplomáticos en España (AIDE) was held last Saturday at the Hotel InterContinental in Madrid, with its president, Elena Bregvadze, wife of the Georgian ambassador, at the helm.
In the morning, Queen Sofia presided over the inauguration of the solidarity event, the only one of its kind, and made her way through the large number of attendees to each and every one of the stands of the participating countries. Upon her arrival, the Queen was greeted by AIDE’s senior staff and a group of children dressed in the regional costumes of their respective countries who greeted her warmly. This year, the money raised was donated to the Fundación Reina Sofía’s Food Bank projects.
The event, also known as the Kermés de las Embajadas, offered folklore, gastronomy and crafts from forty countries of the world (Albania, Argentina, Armenia, Austria, Bangladesh, Cameroon, Ecuador, Georgia, Greece, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Iraq, Iran, Italy, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Libya, Malaysia, Mali, Mexico, Morocco, Nepal, Palestine, Pakistan, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Qatar, Romania, Senegal, Tunisia and Vietnam) to an audience that literally filled the halls prepared for the event.
The Solidary Bazaar returned after a five-year break in Madrid, its organisation relying solely on the work of volunteers and the constant and generous support of Spanish and international companies, and the presence of the majority of the Diplomatic Corps accredited in Spain.
As reported in The Diplomat, AIDE was created in 1984 by a group of diplomats and their spouses, and has a long history of commitment to Spanish charities. Under the honorary presidency of Queen Sofia, the association has organised 23 diplomatic charity bazaars and 15 gala dinners. AIDE has always been a strong supporter of the Queen’s humanitarian efforts, donating funds each year to projects of the Queen Sofia Foundation. At the 2014, 2016 and 2018 Kermés, thanks to the large and generous participation of the people of Madrid, AIDE was able to allocate more than 60,000 euros in donations.
