The Philippine Embassy in Madrid and members of the Filipino Community in Madrid commemorated the 124th Death Anniversary of Dr. Jose Rizal with a simple caroling activity and talk on the life of Dr. Rizal at the Philippine Embassy in Madrid. The filcom were also welcomed by Mr. Florencio Aliganga, Vice Commander of the Knights of Rizal.
In his remarks (full text available on this link), Consul General Adrian Cruz noted that “Rizal is considered as the country’s leading authoritative figure who had written significant cultural works in Spanish. He noted that in Spain, “Rizal is looked upon as someone who has shown his patriotism and love for country,” and the Consul General expressed his hopes that “we are able to inculcate in the minds of the Filipino youth how one should love his country in the manner that Rizal did and showed us.”
In a normal setting, commemorations would have been held at the Rizal Monument along the Avenida de las Islas Filipinas in the city of Madrid. Since 1996, the Rizal Monument in Madrid has served as one of the highlights for Filipino tourists visiting the city.
Other notable places where Rizal lived and studied in Madrid are enumerated in a walking tour guide produced by the Philippine Embassy in Madrid. Thus, a tourist may access this Rizal tour guide at the website at: www.philembassymadrid.com/rizals-madrid. By January 2021, the Philippine Embassy in Madrid would be upgrading the Rizal Guide to a visual walking tour guide so one can better appreciate Rizal’s Madrid.