The Philippines and Spain marked the 500th Anniversary of the first round-the-world voyage, with His Majesty King Felipe VI of Spain and Philippine Ambassador to Spain, Philippe Jones Lhuillier in attendance.
His Majesty and the Ambassador were joined by members of the Diplomatic Corps aboard the landing helicopter dock (LHD) Juan Carlos I in Cadiz, Spain in celebration of the first circumnavigation in 1522 and to conclude Spain’s year-long celebration of the historical event.
The celebration kicked off as the Spanish King attended the grand naval exercise in the coastal waters of Sanlucar de Barrameda near the city of Cadiz. King Felipe VI paid tribute to 18 sailors that embarked on the voyage, marking the momentous historical journey as one of man’s greatest feats.
Present in the celebration are Ambassadors from countries journeyed by the Juan Sebastian Elcano voyage, including the Philippines, Belgium, Cape Verde, Indonesia, Ireland, Italy, and Portugal.