In a gathering befitting the momentous occasion, the Spanish National Day or Fiesta Nacional de Espana was celebrated in fine style by the Embassy of Spain in Qatar, joined by a long line of dignitaries and guests at The Ritz-Carlton Doha, on Wednesday evening.
Describing everything one might want to know about this day of significance and also of the current state of affairs of Spain and the progress it has made across various fields, Ignacio Escobar, Ambassador of Spain to Qatar, delivered a well-rounded speech. 
Thanking the guests who had joined the gathering to celebrate the National Day of Spain and share this occasion “in which we celebrate that 524 years ago, Christopher Columbus discovered the American continent,” Escobar pointed out how this encounter between the old and the new world triggered a series of profound changes in the political, economic and social spheres on both sides of the Atlantic. “The exchanges between both sides originated a mutual enrichment that has created a community that gathers today more than 500 million Spanish speakers from all over the world,” he said.
Escobar elaborated on how during a very difficult year, Spain has managed to continue its path to economic recovery, through a series of painful structural reforms, “which have allowed us to see the light at the end of the tunnel”. “Spain’s economy has grown at 3.2%, employment has increased by 3%, exports have improved by 6.8%, and we are expecting a record 78 million tourists by the end of the year. Also, the number of Qatari nationals visiting Spain has nearly doubled compared to last year. This makes Spain an even more attractive destination for investments, since it is the perfect gateway to Europe, the Mediterranean and Latin-America,” he said.
Enlisting how throughout the year Spain has continued to display its potential in several ways, Escobar said, “We have reached the number of five million volunteers, over 1,500 NGOs active all over the world, and we continue to be by far the world leader in organ donation and transplants. In sports, we are still producing champions in football, basketball, tennis, motorcycling, cycling, formula one, golf, swimming or ice-skating, just to name a few. As for health, Spain is one of the leaders in medical research for cancer, stem cells, malaria or brain surgery. And it has the third most efficient health system in the world; Spain has the longest life expectancy: 83.1 years.”
When it comes to research and innovation, Escobar continued, Spain excels in the fields of aerospace, quantum physics, environmental protection, energy and railroads; Spain has the second largest high speed train network in the world, after China. “Spain is also a land of artists, from painters to actors and film directors; it is a leader in innovative cuisine, and boasts an important number of fashion designers and architects,” Escobar shared.
The nearly 100 Spanish companies active in Qatar in the above mentioned fields are injecting that same enthusiasm in assisting this country in achieving the goals of its 2030 National Vision, Escobar stated. “From Aspire to Qatar Rail, from Ashghal to Kahramaa, or the Supreme Committee to Hamad International Airport, you will find excellent and committed companies and professionals doing their best to shape the new Qatar,” he said.
As for the international arena, and as a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council, Spain has also conducted an intense level of activity mainly in the field of security, humanitarian assistance, combating terrorism, working methods in the UN and human rights (with special focus on women and children). “Libya, Syria and the Joint Nuclear Action Plan are dossiers in which my country has been and will be particularly active and that are also a great concern to Qatar,” Escobar said.
As for the bilateral relations between Qatar and Spain, they remain excellent and are inspired by the strong affection between both royal families, and are gradually intensifying in many fields, as Qatar is a strategic priority for Spain. “High ranking visits to and from Qatar are envisaged as soon as the formation of the new Spanish government is accomplished, as well as other meetings in the political and economic fields, that will continue to bring both countries closer,” the ambassador noted.
The Spanish embassy has been also active in the cultural field. Escobar said, “We have intensified our relations with Qatar University — we have a first lecturer of Spanish who will boost the teaching of this language — as well as with the Hamad Bin Khalifa University, in particular with the Translation and Interpreting Institute of its College of Humanities and Social Sciences. Spanish language is still offered with great demand at the Tarik bin Zeyad public school, and more and more private schools are offering Spanish as a foreign language in their curriculum.”