Xabier González Barcos
The Embassy of Italy in Spain celebrated Italy’s National Day on Tuesday with a reception in Madrid attended by leading Spanish authorities, members of the diplomatic corps, and figures from the institutional, economic and cultural spheres. The event commemorated the 80th anniversary of the 1946 referendum that gave birth to the Italian Republic and granted women the right to vote for the first time.
Italy’s Ambassador to Spain, Giuseppe Buccino Grimaldi, used the occasion to deliver a strongly pro-European speech in which he reaffirmed the founding values of the Italian Republic, the relevance of the European project, and the need to strengthen multilateralism amid an increasingly complex international environment.
Among those attending were the President of the Senate, Pedro Rollán; the Minister of the Interior, Fernando Grande-Marlaska; the Minister for Inclusion, Social Security and Migration, Elma Saiz; the President of the Supreme Court and the General Council of the Judiciary, Isabel Perelló; the Ombudsman, Ángel Gabilondo; the Secretary of State for the European Union, Fernando Sampedro; and the Secretary of State and Director of the National Intelligence Centre, Esperanza Casteleiro, among other authorities.
Italy’s Ambassador to Spain, Giuseppe Buccino Grimaldi, and his wife, Monica Moschitti, on the right-hand side of the image.During his address, Buccino Grimaldi recalled that European integration emerged as a response to war and division on the continent. Quoting José Ortega y Gasset and the President of the Italian Republic, Sergio Mattarella, he defended a model of “European humanism” grounded in human dignity, dialogue and respect for international law.
The ambassador also warned of the dangers posed by the erosion of the multilateral system, systematic human rights violations and growing distrust towards international institutions. In this context, he stressed the need for Europe to acquire greater capacity for action in foreign and defence policy.
One of the central moments of the speech focused on Ukraine. The ambassador reiterated Italy’s firm support for the country in the face of Russian aggression and defended its future accession to the European Union. “Ukraine is Europe,” he stated, echoing the position consistently upheld by the government of Giorgia Meloni.
Buccino Grimaldi also highlighted the strength of Spanish-Italian relations at the economic, cultural and social levels, while underlining the growing presence of Italian citizens in Spain. He further announced the creation of an annual award in memory of Aldo Olcese, who passed away in 2025, to honour personalities whose innovations have generated a significant social impact.
Institutional interventions
Minister Elma Saiz addressed the audience on behalf of the Spanish Government, emphasising the depth of the ties between the two countries as well as their shared commitment to European integration and democratic values. Since December 2025, Saiz has also served as Government spokesperson.
For his part, Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska highlighted the close cooperation between Spain and Italy in areas such as security, migration management and the fight against organised crime, fields in which both countries maintain particularly strong collaboration within the European Union.
The third institutional intervention came from Senate President Pedro Rollán, who underscored the historic friendship between the two nations and the role both Spain and Italy have played as driving forces behind the European project through their respective paths of European integration.
The reception also featured a carefully curated gastronomic offering conceived as a symbolic journey through Italy’s territorial diversity. The culinary experience was organised around four major areas representing the north, centre, south and islands of the country, allowing guests to discover a wide range of regional products and traditions. From northern specialities associated with Alpine and Lombard cuisine to Mediterranean flavours from the Mezzogiorno and dishes characteristic of Sicily and Sardinia, the embassy sought to present gastronomy as another expression of Italy’s cultural richness and historical plurality.
The evening concluded with a toast to bilateral relations and to the future of a Europe that, in the ambassador’s words, must continue to serve as “a force for encounter and dialogue” in a world marked by geopolitical uncertainty.
