The President of the Canary Islands, Fernando Clavijo, was honoured this Tuesday by the French Consulate at an event held at the Town Hall of Santa Cruz de Tenerife to mark the French National Day.
The President of the Canary Islands, Fernando Clavijo, received an award this Tuesday from the honorary consul of France in the province of Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Bernard Jean Jacques Lonis, during the institutional event for the French National Day held in the Plenary Hall of the Town Hall of Santa Cruz de Tenerife. The recognition, which took place on July 14, highlights Clavijo's contribution to strengthening relations between France and the Canary Islands.
The Mayor of Santa Cruz, José Manuel Bermúdez, acted as host and emphasised that the date is now part of the emotional, cultural, and institutional calendar of the city. “Every July 14, we remember an event that forever changed the history of Europe and the world,” stated Bermúdez, who also congratulated the president on the distinction, noting that it recognises a trajectory of dialogue and cooperation.
A tribute with music and symbolism
The ceremony was enlivened by the Municipal Band of Santa Cruz de Tenerife, which performed pieces such as “The Toreadors” from Georges Bizet's opera “Carmen” and “Paris Montmartre” with arrangements by Toshio Mashima. The music evoked the atmosphere of the French capital and added a marked symbolic character to the celebration.
The event concluded with the performance of the anthems of the Canary Islands, France, and Spain, in a finale that reflected the close relationship between Santa Cruz and the French Republic. Bernard Jean Jacques Lonis, the consul of France, highlighted that his own life is proof that different roots can unite through common values: “People should not be judged by their place of birth, but by what they contribute to society.”
Clavijo: “A recognition for all of the Canary Islands”
Fernando Clavijo thanked the award and considered it an honour, stating that he does not receive it personally but on behalf of an entire Government and a society that has always built bridges. “The relationship between the Canary Islands and France has deep roots and finds in Santa Cruz de Tenerife one of its best examples of shared vision,” he affirmed.
For the residents of the Tenerife capital, this event reinforces the tradition of twinning with France, which translates into cultural and economic exchanges. The Town Hall of Santa Cruz recalled that the city maintains historical ties with the Gallic country, visible in the resident French community and in events like this.
The celebration, which brought together civil and military authorities, as well as members of the French community on the island, served to reaffirm the European vocation of the Canary Islands and its role as an Atlantic platform. Bermúdez insisted that the city must look to the world with ambition and a distinct identity, occupying the place it deserves as a European territory.
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