Mr Mayor

Honourable Members of the Town Council

I am delighted to have been given the opportunity to be here today, in the heart of the Spanish capital.  It seems to me auspicious that so near to the very building we are in, a statue of the great Andalusian Admiral Álvaro de Bazán, Marquis of Santa Cruz de Mudela, stands.  He is fondly remembered, by Maltese and Spanish alike, for coming to the assistance of the defenders of Malta during the Great Siege of 1565.

I thank you for bestowing me with the prestigious title of Distinguished Guest of the City of Madrid, and I am honoured to be the very first Maltese Head of State to pay an official visit to Spain.

In the few hours we have been in Madrid, we have been impressed by the bustling energy that pervades your glorious city.  Since its early origins, going back several centuries, Madrid has been, and continues to be, a thriving city.  Under its ongoing metamorphosis, the city’s modern structures stand proudly alongside majestic baroque palaces.  Sightseers can take in the picturesque past with the princely present.  What was once a sprawling village has developed into this regal city.

Culture and tourism are the mainstays of Spain’s beautiful capital.  In the first eight months of this year, you have experienced an 11.4 % increase in tourism over the same period last year.  Enviably, Madrid is the fourth most visited European city.  You have very carefully and ably directed the capital’s resources towards extending a warm welcome to your visitors.

Twenty months ago, however, when the abominable acts of the 11^th March hit your city, the whole world agonizingly watched in sympathy and in shock.  The grim reminders of that day and the sad aftermaths linger on in the hearts of all of us.  By moving on, the people of Madrid have not only survived, but they have shown that strong will and staunch dedication can win the day for them, for Spain, for Europe and for a free and democratic world. 

Historically Malta’s geographical location at the centre of the Mediterranean, as well as the various foreign influences through time have left their mark upon the island, instilling in the people of Malta the ability to communicate and to interact with various peoples.  The very Maltese language is a reflection of this in that the basis of the language is Semitic although it is written in Latin script.  By time other influences from other foreign languages also found their way into the language.  Moreover, most Maltese are capable of speaking a multiplicity of languages which further facilitates communication with the peoples of the Mediterranean basin.  Malta also boasts of a skilled labour force capable of adapting itself to present day challenges.

Malta and Spain are both European countries and active regional partners within the Mediterranean region.  Trade routes developed in the past took advantage of the strategic location of our countries to promote trade.  In the same way that Madrid has been a stepping stone for Ibero-American countries in their trade and commercial relations with Asia and the rest of Europe, so too Malta, straddling the Mediterranean Sea’s major trade routes, could further facilitate commercial incursions into the African and Middle Eastern markets. 

Yesterday evening, the Maltese businessmen accompanying my delegation to Spain had the opportunity to meet and exchange views and common interests with several Spanish entrepreneurs who attended a Business Seminar here in Madrid.  It is through dialogue that one learns of opportunities.  It is through communication that joint initiatives are born.  It is through such synergy that we improve, and end by achieving.

It has been a pleasure to share these thoughts with you today in this magnificent and historical building and I would like to take this opportunity to thank you for the warm welcome extended to us in  Madrid, the beautiful and vibrant capital of Spain.