MINISTERIO DE ASUNTOS EXTERIORES, UNIÓN EUROPEA Y COOPERACIÓN

______

REPRESENTACIÓN PERMANENTE DE ESPAÑA ANTE EL CONSEJO DE EUROPA

Message of the Ambassador Permanent Representative of to the Council of Europe Manuel Montobbio on the occasion of Spain’s

The celebration of the National Day of Spain at the Council of Europe stands for the celebration of Spain in Europe and the celebration of Europe in Spain.

Celebration of Spain in Europe, by sharing with the other Europeans the project of peace instaured after the Second World War by the creation of the Council of Europe as a space Human Rights, Rule of Law and Democracy, as well as through the access of the individuals, of the citizens, to the jurisdiction of the European Court of Human Rights thanks to the European Convention of Human Rights, whose 70th Anniversary we celebrate this year.

Of Europe in Spain, by accepting the guidelines of our international engagement with the Council of Europe in our collective action for the realization of our common human condition and human dignity together with the other Europeans.

To celebrate this day in 2020 means also to reaffirm our commitment to face the most relevant challenges we are dealing with today at the Council of Europe. First of all, the challenge to define the standards of human rights, the Rule of Law and democracy in the the situation of a global pandemic or a sanitary crisis, both in substance - specially on social and health issues - and in procedure - as on the ways to handle these states of emergency. Second, facing the challenges of climate change and sustainability in their relationship with human rights. Third, facing the challenges to regulate artificial intelligence, which makes possible this virtual celebration through this video, and human rights. And, finally, promoting the access of the European Union to the European Convention of Human Rights, which we are negotiating nowadays.

24, Allée de la Robertsau 67000 – STRASBOURG (FRANCIA) CORREO ELECTRÓNICO: rep.estrasburgo @maec.es TEL.: +33 (0) 3.88.36.36.20 FAX: +33 (0) 3.88.36.94.92

This National Day of Spain at the Council of Europe we celebrate and we toast for the life of Spain in Europe and for the life of Europe in Spain; and we toast for life, for persons, for the planet and for our common engagement with the dignity of the human being.

Strasbourg, 12th of 2020

MINISTERIO DE ASUNTOS EXTERIORES, UNIÓN EUROPEA - 2 - Y COOPERACIÓN