The Embassy of El Salvador in Singapore last Friday hosted its first national day celebration in Singapore, after establishing an embassy in the city-state earlier this year.
Like many other Central and South American nations, El Salvador is a former Spanish colony. It celebrated on September 15 more than two centuries of being an independent republic.
This was the first time that the Latin American country, commemorated such an occasion in Singapore, as it opened its first diplomatic mission in the Southeast Asian country in early February this year.
The celebration took place at the Saffron ballroom of Sentosa Sofitel.
Attendees
Many ambassadors, high commissioners, diplomats, prominent Singaporean government officials, and members of the country’s business and cultural elite graced the event with their presence. The guest list was both diverse and distinguished, showcasing a blend of international and local luminaries.
El Salvador
El Salvador, once renowned for its prowess in football and as a leading global coffee producer, also bearing the scars of a devastating civil war in the late 20th century, has undergone a remarkable transformation.
Thanks to a visionary leadership, this Central American nation has emerged as one of the most vibrant and modern societies in its region as it enters the second decade of the 21st century.
Ambassador Alfonso Valencia
His Excellency Valencia, currently the youngest head of mission stationed in Singapore, represents, in a dignifying and proud manner, one of the smallest territories on the planet.
Valencia addressed his guests with a very to-the-point speech. His Excellency spoke about the recent opening of his country’s embassy in Singapore, which is now the second El Salvadoran embassy in Southeast Asia.
Such action strengthens the diplomatic presence of their country on the Asian continent. It proves the serious commitment of El Salvador to be an active party within the international community.
A budding nation
The diplomat from El Salvador emphasized that President Nayib Bukele has positioned the country as a significant player in economic development on the international stage.
Testament to this, Google Cloud and the government of El Salvador have unveiled a multi-year agreement. The agreement will see Google’s cloud services subsidiary establish an office and provide Google Distributed Cloud services in the Central American nation.
Furthermore, it stands out as the one nation with a distinctly practical approach to the contentious use of cryptocurrency.
In conclusion, Valencia extended his greetings in Spanish to his fellow nationals in Singapore, assuring them that the embassy’s doors remain open to all citizens residing in this city-state.
Guest of honour
The guest of honour, on behalf of the Singaporean government, was Senior Parliamentary Secretary at Ministry of Health & Ministry of Law Rahayu Mahzum. Mahzum started her speech by congratulating the Salvadoran nation and mission for the occasion.
Her Excellency highlighted how both nations are small yet have accomplished so much for its people. The minister applauded the fact that El Salvador and Singapore have strived to establish themselves as important innovation and technology hubs, within their respective regions.
Mahzum acknowledge that there is still so much that both countries can achieve together and looks forward a long and collaborative relationship between them, that should not only include economic elements, but many other areas of cooperation.
