Remembrance Day in Torrevieja

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Eduardo Dolon gives thanks during Poppy Day

11/11/11 was a significant and special date for millions of people globally as along with being a number palindrome, Remembrance Day, and with that Poppy Day, fell on the same date. This solemn and patriotic act of the British and International community, has been an annual event since 1920 and is organized by veterans of the Royal British Legion. Spain’s oldest Branch of the RBL is based in Torrevieja and along with their members, participation in Friday’s event also came from veterans of all British forces, army, navy and air force plus other nations who wished to remember their fallen.

Torrevieja’s Town Council has long recognised the importance of the event to the International Community and showed their full support through the presence of Mayor Eduardo Dolon, Deputy Mayor Joaquín Albaladejo, Councillor for Foreign Residents Rosario Martinez, Councillor for Culture and Tourism Luis Maria Pizana, Director of the Foreign Residents Office Graham Knight and former Councillor for Foreign Residents Pedro Valero. Remembrance Day is a tribute to all victims of wars and terrorism and took place in the "La Siesta" Evangelical Church along with more than two hundred supporters.

As leader of the community, Eduardo Dolon said a few words during the service, highlighting the enormous importance of such community events for the British based in Torrevieja, for which he praised for having integrated into the daily life of the city through such special ceremonial acts as ‘Poppy Day’ and through the International community’s participation in all social and cultural events organized by the City Council.
He noted that as of November 11, those from the UK represented more than thirteen thousand citizens, with about 50 Associations of British origin, the vast majority of them
Charitable or social.

After the service, wreaths and symbolic crosses where laid in the Garden of Remembrance beside the church accompanied by the sound of Torrevieja Pipes and Drums. For more information on the Poppy Appeal and Torrevieja’s Royal British Legion, please visit their new web site at www.RBLTorrevieja.com.

Keith Nicol