Inauguration of the exhibition '40 years of Spain's active participation in NATO. 1982-2022'

• The exhibition organised by the Spanish Defence Staff will remain open at the palace of congress until Saturday 28 May

On the occasion of the 40th anniversary of Spain's entry into NATO, the Spanish Defence Staff has organised an exhibition paying tribute to all the members of the Spanish Armed Forces who have participated and continue to participate in NATO missions.

The exhibition was inaugurated by the commanding general of the Castillejos Division, Carlos Melero, accompanied by the mayor of Huesca, Luis Serrate, the sub-delegate of the Government in Huesca, Silvia Salazar, and the sub-delegate of Defence in Huesca, Colonel Rafael Matilla.

After a presentation of the exhibition, General Melero gave the floor to Colonel Domingo Jarillo Cañigueral, Head of the Office of Strategic Communication of the Defence Staff and coordinator of the exhibition, who emphasised that the exhibition is intended to be "a recognition of the common, permanent and dedicated effort of all our participants in NATO missions, who have worked, and continue to work, in a selfless, self-sacrificing and permanent way against external threats".

Under the title '40 years of Spain's active participation in NATO.1982-2022', the most important milestones of these four decades of membership of the Atlantic Alliance will be on display: from 30 May 1982, when Spain became the 16th member of NATO, to the latest NATO mission in which Spanish military personnel are taking part.

The exhibition can be visited until Saturday 28 May at the palace of congress in Huesca. The exhibition consists of an audiovisual and a graphic part. The graphic part is made up of 28 panels with the following content:

• 2 Panels of introduction to the exhibition with the chronology of the most relevant events that have taken place during these 40 years.
• 22 panels, 1 for each NATO mission in which Spain has participated, with a brief description of the mission and photographs of the mission.
• 1 Panel with the NATO structure and the places where Spanish military personnel are stationed.
• 1 Panel with a list of personnel who have died while representing Spain or forming part of the Spanish contingent in NATO missions.
• 2 photo-call panels where children and adults can immortalise their visit.

4 informative videos are shown as audiovisual material:

• Video 1: Summary of Spain's 40 years in NATO.
• Video 2: Current Spanish missions in NATO.
• Videos 3 and 4: An explanatory video - What is NATO? (Children's version and adult version)

The Spanish Defence Staff hopes that the exhibition will serve to achieve its objective, which is none other than to spread knowledge of what the Atlantic Alliance is, what role Spain plays in it and to pay tribute to all the members of the Spanish Armed Forces who have participated and continue to participate in NATO missions.