He Costume Museum has been the setting chosen to host the commemorative act of the 55th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Spain and Australia, two countries that display their friendship and currently cooperate to strengthen their political, economic, social and cultural ties.
The event was marked by the start of the National Reconciliation Weekwhich each year aims to celebrate the history and culture of the indigenous peoples of Australia.
Authorities, ambassadors, businessmen with interests in Australia and various personalities from social and cultural institutions have gathered at this fraternization meeting.
Sophia McIntyre, Australia’s ambassador to Spain, noted in her speech that “as liberal democracies, with export-oriented economies of similar size, we have a common interest in working to support multilateralism and the rules-based international order.” Sophia McIntyre highlighted that “the shared agenda defends the rights of women and girls, promotes human rights in the world and defends peace and security. We are also united by a condemnation of Russia’s unilateral, illegal and immoral invasion of Ukraine.”
Angeles Moreno Bau, Secretary of State for Foreign and Global Affairs of the Government of Spain, had an impact during her speech on the close economic and commercial relations that both countries maintain. “We have about one hundred leading Spanish companies in Australia who carry out their work in different areas such as security and defense, infrastructures and renewable energies,” he said.
Political, economic and cultural cooperation is the central axis of the ties established between the two countries since, in October 1967, they established their bilateral diplomatic relations. As a result of this agreement Spain installed its first embassy in Canberrathe Australian capital, on May 3, 1968.
The celebration coincides with the National Reconciliation Weekwhich takes place from May 27 to June 3, and whose objective is strengthen ties between different peoples that are central to the history and culture of Australia.
The teacher gary thomasfirst assistant vice-rector for Education, Research and Indigenous Participation at RMIT University, valued the relationship with Spain and urged both countries to continue listening and learning together to strengthen their alliance in a global world.
Joint declaration
In June 2022 the Prime Minister of Australia, Anthony Albanesemade his first visit to Spain to attend the NATO Summit in Madrid. During the visit, he met with the President of the Spanish Government, Pedro Sanchez, and both signed a joint declaration in which they reaffirmed some points of this bilateral relationship, highlighting “the cordial and productive relationship between Spain and Australiabased on shared values and the commitment of both countries to multilateralism and the international order, and on close economic ties& rdquor ;.
The prime minister’s attendance at the summit was the first bilateral visit to Spain by an Australian Prime Minister in the history of their relationships. Albanese thanked Spain for her hospitality in a meeting that marked, in his opinion, “a new stadium of cooperation between the two countries & rdquor ;. In this meeting, the leaders expressed their willingness to intensify cultural and educational exchangesas well as highlighting the work of the Spain-Australia Council Foundation in promoting links between companies and civil societies of both nations.
The challenge of urgently addressing the climate crisis, the overall security against the backdrop of the war in Ukraine and the new international investment opportunities, were some of the key points of this bilateral meeting.
Economy and Defense
Trade and investment links between the two nations are strong. Spanish companies are providing great knowledge in sectors such as transport, infrastructure and renewable energy generation from Australia. For their part, Australian companies are increasingly interested in Spain and have a growing number of investments in the country, especially in the field of financial services, the development of software and mining.
Currently, both countries are seeking new ways of cooperation to accelerate the clean energy transition while maintaining and improving energy security. A bilateral agreement is also being carried out to encourage the scientific and technological cooperation.
During these 55 years of friendship and mutual respect, both countries have strengthened and deepened their ties in different fields. One of the key elements of this bilateral relationship is defense and security cooperation. In 2007, Navantia’s award of two important contracts for the design and manufacture of three frigates and two ships of strategic projection that would modernize the Australian fleet gave a turn to the relations between both countries, and increased the global profile of Spain in Australia.
After this, several Spanish companies have won other important contracts for the construction of defense material, an achievement that has been opening a new, more ambitious stage of relations, with great potential in the medium and long term.
cultural cooperation
Regarding cultural relations, since in 2009 established in Sydney headquarters of the Cervantes Institute, Spain’s political and cultural commitment to this country has not stopped growing. The Kings of Spain attended its inauguration.
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This event, together with the signing in October 2007 of a protocol of Cultural cooperation between the Ministry of Culture and the Australian National Universityand the signature of Memorandum of understanding between the respective National Libraries, promoted the study of the Spanish language and culture in a country where, until then, it was unknown.
The event also featured a opera performance in charge of Saira Luther in English and one of the Australian indigenous languages. Attendees have also been able to visit the indigenous art exhibition Ngirramanujuwal: Jimmy’s Art and Land, Featuring paintings and prints by one of Australia’s most famous Aboriginal artists in the 1990s.