No red carpet or a long protocol, but with its traditional elegance and sobriety, Queen Sofia of Spain visited downtown Miami on Sunday afternoon to preside over the opening of the new headquarters of the Spanish Cultural Center in Miami.
A mob of cameramen practically stalked into the center, preventing the display of peaceful view photos. The pressure was such that at one point was forced to dodge the photographers with a face not very ceremonial and without the help of bodyguards. Still, the king posed for the cameras, smiling, but gave no comments to the press.
The Queen was accompanied by the Ambassador of Spain in America, Jorge Dezcallar, and Secretary of State for International Cooperation, Zoraya Rodriguez.
"With this center, your majesty, we want to present the image of Spain in the century to a wider audience," said Rodriguez. "An image of art, combining new technologies with traditional Spanish roots that connect us to all of Latin America."
The new headquarters of the institute, a stronghold of Latin American culture in the United States in 1490 is Biscayne Boulevard. Local dignitaries in attendance were pleased the royal visit.
"It's a proud day for all Latinos," said the entrepreneur and producer Emilio Estefan, who greeted and chatted with the Queen 72.
Estefan said the king then expressed his joy of being on a visit to Miami, even for a few hours.
The visit takes place as a prelude to the celebration of 500 anniversary of the arrival of explorer Juan Ponce de Leon to Florida in 1513. The trip, conducted in three ships with 200 sailors and explorers, Ponce de Leon brought the vicinity of St. Augustine, Key Biscayne and then to the west coast of Florida.
At a reception hosted by the Miami Dade College in the Hall of Maps of the Freedom Tower just before the opening of the cultural center, Dezcallar stressed the importance of this commemoration to strengthen relations between Spain and the United States.
"We must remember that in Florida starts the scan and the principle of United States long before the arrival of the first English pilgrims at Jamestown," said the diplomat.
A reception attended by hundreds of guests who shook hands with the Queen in front of a giant mural recently restored, which represents an encounter between Ponce de Leon and a Tequesta chief, the Florida native population.
Upon receipt, the Reina Sofia in a ceremony met privately with the Board of Directors of the Spain Florida 500 years. Its president, Emilio Sanchez, the monarch gave a copy of the book La Florida: Exploration and Colonization of Professor Maria Antonia Sainz, to be presented Tuesday at the University of Miami.
Sanchez explained that by 2013 they are preparing major projects such as exhibitions of colonial art history and Spanish, a television documentary about the presence of Spain in Florida, a race between San Juan, Puerto Rico, and Miami, remembering the route Leon did and other academic and educational programs.
"All these projects have one common denominator," Sanchez said. "Report of the reach of the Spanish contribution to the history of Florida and how that historical contribution is a substantial part of American roots and an element that shapes the country's Hispanic heritage."
Gov. Rick Scott has sent an official invitation to the Kings to come to Florida and Scott himself is planning a trip to Spain next year to strengthen the historical, cultural and trade between Spain and Florida.
With Sunday's visit, the second within two years, the Queen highlighted the importance he gives the Royal Family to Florida, especially Miami.
"We are in a very special city for Spain," said Rodriguez. "We share many historical and cultural ties. There is more to peer into the street, any street in Miami, to verify that it is a genuine Spanish town. "
A mob of cameramen practically stalked into the center, preventing the display of peaceful view photos. The pressure was such that at one point was forced to dodge the photographers with a face not very ceremonial and without the help of bodyguards. Still, the king posed for the cameras, smiling, but gave no comments to the press.
The Queen was accompanied by the Ambassador of Spain in America, Jorge Dezcallar, and Secretary of State for International Cooperation, Zoraya Rodriguez.
"With this center, your majesty, we want to present the image of Spain in the century to a wider audience," said Rodriguez. "An image of art, combining new technologies with traditional Spanish roots that connect us to all of Latin America."
The new headquarters of the institute, a stronghold of Latin American culture in the United States in 1490 is Biscayne Boulevard. Local dignitaries in attendance were pleased the royal visit.
"It's a proud day for all Latinos," said the entrepreneur and producer Emilio Estefan, who greeted and chatted with the Queen 72.
Estefan said the king then expressed his joy of being on a visit to Miami, even for a few hours.
The visit takes place as a prelude to the celebration of 500 anniversary of the arrival of explorer Juan Ponce de Leon to Florida in 1513. The trip, conducted in three ships with 200 sailors and explorers, Ponce de Leon brought the vicinity of St. Augustine, Key Biscayne and then to the west coast of Florida.
At a reception hosted by the Miami Dade College in the Hall of Maps of the Freedom Tower just before the opening of the cultural center, Dezcallar stressed the importance of this commemoration to strengthen relations between Spain and the United States.
"We must remember that in Florida starts the scan and the principle of United States long before the arrival of the first English pilgrims at Jamestown," said the diplomat.
A reception attended by hundreds of guests who shook hands with the Queen in front of a giant mural recently restored, which represents an encounter between Ponce de Leon and a Tequesta chief, the Florida native population.
Upon receipt, the Reina Sofia in a ceremony met privately with the Board of Directors of the Spain Florida 500 years. Its president, Emilio Sanchez, the monarch gave a copy of the book La Florida: Exploration and Colonization of Professor Maria Antonia Sainz, to be presented Tuesday at the University of Miami.
Sanchez explained that by 2013 they are preparing major projects such as exhibitions of colonial art history and Spanish, a television documentary about the presence of Spain in Florida, a race between San Juan, Puerto Rico, and Miami, remembering the route Leon did and other academic and educational programs.
"All these projects have one common denominator," Sanchez said. "Report of the reach of the Spanish contribution to the history of Florida and how that historical contribution is a substantial part of American roots and an element that shapes the country's Hispanic heritage."
Gov. Rick Scott has sent an official invitation to the Kings to come to Florida and Scott himself is planning a trip to Spain next year to strengthen the historical, cultural and trade between Spain and Florida.
With Sunday's visit, the second within two years, the Queen highlighted the importance he gives the Royal Family to Florida, especially Miami.
"We are in a very special city for Spain," said Rodriguez. "We share many historical and cultural ties. There is more to peer into the street, any street in Miami, to verify that it is a genuine Spanish town. "
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