One hundred years, a century, is a very long time for anyone, and for an institution such as the British-Spanish Society, which has promoted positive values of friendship, mutual understanding and knowledge between British and Spanish people, in the most troubled century of human history, it is more than remarkable.
The British-Spanish Society was founded in 1916, under the auspices of the Foreign Office, as an instrument of public diplomacy to promote, through culture, better knowledge and ties of friendship between our two countries. We have in common the creation of two global languages: English and Spanish, the most widely spoken and studied languages in the World.
Our cultures, two basic pillars of our western civilization, constitute, without any doubt, the biggest pride of both our nations in this twenty-first century.
If the creation of the British-Spanish Society was inspired by the third centenary of Shakespeare and Cervantes, this first hundred-year anniversary coincides, happily, with a new celebration of our two most famous authors, revered all over the world.
"...la British-Spanish Society se ha convertido en un puente espiritual que une a nuestros dos pueblos a través de la interacción de nuestros intelectuales y artistas, en todos los ámbitos de la educación y de la cultura, haciendo que británicos y españoles compartamos cada vez más una visión común de nuestras realidades actuales..."
Now if you allow me, I will say a few words in Spanish: este es un centenario en el que presenciamos con orgullo una British-Spanish Society renovada jurídicamente en la forma de organización benéfica, y cada día más enraizada en nuestras sociedades civiles.
En este contexto, la British-Spanish Society se ha convertido en un puente espiritual que une a nuestros dos pueblos a través de la interacción de nuestros intelectuales y artistas, en todos los ámbitos de la educación y de la cultura, haciendo que británicos y españoles compartamos cada vez más una visión común de nuestras realidades actuales.
Quiero felicitar cariñosamente a los premiados hoy en esta gala, y a todos aquellos que, también mereciendo nuestro reconocimiento, no lo han sido por razones de tiempo y espacio, pero que seguro lo serán en futuras ediciones.
I would also like to express my warmest congratulations and gratitude to Jimmy Burns and the executive board and team of The British-Spanish Society, for their generosity in the dedication of their precious time and efforts to build up a British-Spanish Society that has become instrumental in fomenting Anglo-Spanish friendship and understanding.
With this opportunity, I wish Her Majesty the Queen our heartfelt congratulations on Her 90th birthday, hoping we may celebrate another centenary, Her Majesty’s, with health and happiness.
Thank you so much. Muchas gracias.