Erhardt Project Cargo & Logistics Middle East has once again sponsored the Annual Hispanidad [Hispanic Day] Gala Dinner, organized by the Spanish Business Council (SBC) with the collaboration of the Spanish Embassy in the UAE.
The event, held last Thursday October 12th at the Emirates Palace Mandarin Oriental in Abu Dhabi and led by his Excellency Iñigo de Palacio, Ambassador of Spain in the UAE, and Mr. Guillermo Cobelo, President of the Spanish Chamber of Commerce in the UAE, was attended by more than 2,000 people including prominent local and Spanish authorities, representatives of major business companies, ambassadors, members of the SBC, and the Spanish community in the UAE.
Erhardt Projects was present at this stand-out event through Igor Muñiz, CEO of Erhardt Projects, and a large delegation from the team of specialists assigned to our Abu Dhabi subsidiary, Erhardt Project Cargo & Logistics Middle East.
The event began with the presentation of the Friends of Spain Awards, in which his Excellency Iñigo de Palacio thanked the winners, Mohammad Ahmad Al Murr (President of the Mohammed Bin Rashid Library), Muamar Abdulla Abushehad (Executive Director of the Tawazun Council), and Abdulla Alketbi and Fatima Almheiri of ADIA Lab for their contributions, noting that despite the current turbulent times in the international community, Spain remains an open, attractive country that will continue to offer opportunities for investment, innovation, collaboration, and growth.
He also pointed out that the increasing number of Spanish residents in the United Arab Emirates was due to the country’s extraordinary capacity for attraction in various sectors of economic activity and invited his compatriots to continue to represent the values of Spain and to share them with loyalty with everyone in their host country.
Mr. De Palacio highlighted and expressed his gratitude for the work done by the Embassy of Spain in UAE, for that of the President of the SBC (Spanish Chamber of Commerce in the UAE), Guillermo Cobelo, and for that of SBC Secretary General Marta Fernandez for organizing this celebration of Spain’s National Day through the Gala Dinner.
For his part, Guillermo Cobelo spoke of the extraordinary times that the UAE is experiencing, highlighting some of the most important milestones such as the space walk of the UAE’s first woman astronaut and the holding of the Year of Sustainability in the UAE next year.
He highlighted the launch of the joint UAE-Spain initiative “Andalusia: History and Civilization” which seeks to highlight the importance of embracing civilizations and celebrating our shared history together.
But his most heartfelt words were to point out that “today more than ever we have to think about the Spain we want, a Spain where we all have the same obligations and the same rights, a strong Spain, united, of equals, of coherence, and of certainty, where we decide everything together”.
Mr. Cobelo closed his speech by thanking the ambassador and the entire embassy for their continued support, along with every company in the Chamber of Commerce in UAE, and the sponsors for their help in the celebration of the National Day.
The event was a success thanks to the sponsors and members of the SBC: Técnicas Reunidas, Royal Arrow, Ninety Nine SB Investment, Coxabengoa, Acciona, Aiuken Cybersecurity, Amadeus, Augusta Capital, Barceló Hotel Group, Cepsa, Cosentino, Melia International Hotels, Rif Trust, Typsa, and Whitehall; and also to the sponsors of the National Day: ACK3, Airbus, Aqualia, ASISA, BBVA, Bodegas Arzuaga, CAF, CaixaBank, Centaurus International, Comité de Agricultura Ecológica de la Comunidad de Madrid, Conrad Abu Dhabi Etihad Towers, Dar Global, El Correo del Golfo, El Pozo, Erhardt Project Cargo & Logistics Middle East, ESPA, Estrella Galicia, Familia Torres, Frinsa, Galicia Calidade, Grupo Oesia, Gulf Business Consulting, IE University, IGC Middle East Group, iMaker, Indra, José by Pizarro, La Despensa, La Fallera, LaLiga, Navantia, Neolith, Porcelanosa, Prince, Quirón Salud, Roca, Sener, Sunset Hospitality, Teka, Televes, Tilda, TK Elevator, Tubacex, Universidad de Navarra, Xunta de Galicia, and Zamora Company.
“It has undoubtedly been an event to further strengthen the ties between Spain and the UAE, fostering connections and opportunities among all attendees for the economic development of both countries and to continue creating shared history,” said Igor Muñiz, CEO of Erhardt Projects.
