Xabier González Barcos
The reception, held last Tuesday at the Hotel Villamagna, brought together diplomatic, institutional and business representatives and focused on strengthening ties between Baku and Spain
The Embassy of Azerbaijan in Spain held a reception last Tuesday at Madrid’s Hotel Villamagna to commemorate the National Day of the Republic of Azerbaijan, in an event that gathered diplomatic, institutional, business and cultural representatives, as well as members of the Azerbaijani community in Spain.
Among those attending were the ambassadors of,,,, and, in addition to Luis Fonseca, Director-General for Asia-Pacific at Spain’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, European Union and Cooperation.
The evening combined elements of traditional Azerbaijani music with contemporary performances, in a celebration marked by messages of cooperation, peace and the strengthening of bilateral relations between Azerbaijan and Spain.
During his speech, the Azerbaijani ambassador recalled that Azerbaijan is the heir to the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic, founded on May 28, 1918, as “the first parliamentary republic in the East,” and highlighted the democratic legacy of that state, stressing that it granted women the right to vote before many European countries and established one of the first multiparty parliamentary traditions in the Turkic world.
The diplomat also defended Azerbaijan’s role as one of the leading regional actors in the South Caucasus and underscored the country’s progress in political, economic and social fields, as well as its role as an international platform for cooperation in areas such as energy, transport, security and intercultural dialogue.
In this context, he highlighted Baku’s efforts in favour of peace with Armenia and welcomed the fact that the President of Azerbaijan,, received this year the “Gnàc per la Pau i la Reconciliació” Award, a distinction he described as “of great symbolic value for Spanish society.”
“The people of Azerbaijan know very well the value of peace and reconciliation,” the ambassador stated, referring to the consequences of decades of conflict in the region and asserting that the experience between Azerbaijan and Armenia demonstrates that “even after many years of conflict and distrust, peace is possible when there is political will and international support.”
The diplomatic representative also highlighted the positive momentum in bilateral relations between Azerbaijan and Spain, underlining the strengthening of political dialogue and institutional cooperation over the past year.
In this regard, he mentioned the recent visits to Azerbaijan by the Speaker of the Spanish Congress of Deputies,, and by the Spanish Secretary of State for Foreign and Global Affairs,, as well as the holding in Madrid of the second strategic dialogue on economic cooperation between the two countries.
He also emphasised the continuity of contacts in areas such as culture, education and mutual understanding, stating that Azerbaijan and Spain “move forward together on the basis of mutual respect, trust and shared values.”
The reception concluded with a tasting of traditional Azerbaijani cuisine and a message of gratitude to attendees for accompanying the diplomatic mission on a date “of special importance” for the Caucasian country.
