His Majesty visits Madrid City Council

Madrid: His Majesty Sultan Haitham bin Tarik visited the Madrid City Council on Tuesday evening within the framework of his state visit to the Kingdom of Spain.

Prior to the arrival of His Majesty the Sultan, the motorcade was escorted by a cavalcade of the Royal Cavalry’s knights.

Upon his arrival, His Majesty was received by Inmaculada Sanz Otero, Deputy Mayor of Madrid. His Majesty then inspected the Guard of Honour, which was formed up alongside a group of cavalrymen, to the accompaniment of musical pieces played in welcome of His Majesty the Sultan’s visit.

After that, His Majesty the Sultan shook hands with senior members of the City Council, while the Mayor of Madrid shook hands with members of the official Omani delegation.

His Majesty graciously signed the Distinguished Visitors’ Book. The Mayor then accompanied His Majesty the Sultan to the Council Hall, where the Mayor delivered a welcoming address expressing his profound appreciation for the gracious visit and his country’s aspiration to strengthen cooperation and partnership with the Sultanate of Oman in service of the mutual interests of both nations.

The Mayor of Madrid then presented the Key to the City of Madrid to His Majesty the Sultan, as a symbol of the respect and esteem held for His Majesty, marking his historic visit.

His Majesty the Sultan then graciously delivered an address on this occasion, in which he stated: “We have received the key to this magnificent city with profound gratitude, deeply appreciating your abundant goodwill towards us and our nation, the Sultanate of Oman.

This gracious gesture demonstrates that your capital, and indeed your country as a whole, extends a welcome to all. It is a destination cherished by tourists, literati, intellectuals, and artists who journey here from across the globe, drawn by its rich history, unique architecture, excellent services, and captivating beauty.

“We have been greatly impressed by your system of metropolitan governance, in which you play a central role. You undertake the duties of metropolitan government as the chief executive, through which you supervise the daily operations of this city.

“We look forward to strengthening the relations between the magnificent city of Madrid and our capital city of Muscat. It is our firm hope that this will lead to a mutually beneficial exchange of the two cities’ experiences across various fields, thereby contributing to the development and consolidation of the relations between our two nations.”

In his turn, His Majesty the Sultan presented a commemorative gift on the occasion of his visit to this city. The gift was received by the Deputy Mayor of Madrid.