THE National Day of Spain gives me the opportunity to extend my sincere greetings to all the people of Hong Kong and to my compatriots living in the territory.
Due to its strategical position, Spain has become, in the course of its history, a meeting point of different worlds, a bridge between Europe and Africa; between Europe and America.
The many different races and nations which have invaded or settled in the Iberian Peninsula have contributed to create an amazing diversity of customs, languages, cultures, folklore: a Europe en miniature, a sort of microcosm with its own distinctive personality.
This diversity is reflected in a federal-oriented state formed by several autonomous communities.
Our Muslim and Jewish heritage has played an important role in hosting the very first step towards a lasting peace in the Middle East: the Madrid Conference of October 1991.
The various types of landscapes and climates, the cultural wealth and the hospitality of its people have all together helped to turn Spain into a favourite tourist spot.